


At the Bottom of the Swimming Pool

by RatedRReanna



Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: California, Crimes & Criminals, Drug Addiction, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Forbidden Love, Power Dynamics, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:27:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 132,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29026464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RatedRReanna/pseuds/RatedRReanna
Summary: Jessica Cody is returning home and seeing her family after a years absence. The war between Smurf and her brothers has already started and she finds herself reeling back into a past affair that changes the game for the Cody's. The relationship between Jessica and Baz has never been platonic, as a matter of fact they have a long standing history between them. Being torn between her family and her new relationship, Jessica now has to choose what's more important. Love and power or family and loyalty. Is she willing to sink or swim?
Relationships: Original female character/Barry "Baz" Blackwell
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1: PLAYING CATCH UP

"Hello...Anyone here?" A blonde female had just entered Smurf's home, the Cody home. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder then threw it onto the wooden floor with a thud. Usually there was some sort of noise going on in the home but it was pretty quiet. She actually was surprised there wasn't some sort of party considering it was going on five o'clock and Craig loved having parties when the sun was up until the sun went down.

"Hello...Mom or Smurf, are you here? The door was unlocked so I came in if that's okay"

She walked past the living area and into the kitchen. Everything looked the same and hadn't changed since she left. Looking around, she walked over to the back door and stared out into the pool. A million memories went through her mind and she faintly laughed to herself for a moment. She noticed a reflection in the door and jumped a little. She looked to her left and saw a young teenager standing there.

"Um, hello..." He spoke, his eyes a little open at the surprise. He had on black shorts and a grey hoodie; he looked like he had just woken up from a nap. "How did you get in here?"

"Hi...I'm sorry. Who?" She had narrowed her eyes at him not in a mean way but a curious way. She also pointed to him. "The door was unlocked"

The blonde was dressed in short jean shorts and a light blue tank top with white lace covering the back. She was perfectly tan probably from spending most of her time on the beach. There were a few different tattoos that covered her arms ranging from a flower on her shoulder, a feather on her back shoulder and little ones here and there.

"I'm J...I don't think I know who you are?" He answered back.

"Wait J...Joshua? Julia's kid?" J nodded faintly and the girl's eyes lit up in surprise. "Oh my God...You're so big; I haven't seen you since you were like five years old. I'm Jessica, your Aunt Jessica I should say. You probably don't remember me"

Jessica had moved forward a little wondering if she was going to be able to get him into a hug. She held her arms out a little to show that she didn't mean any harm and wanted to get a better feel of who he was. J noticed her shift in movement and gave her a hug not wanting to seem rude even though he felt uncomfortable to do so.

After a moment, she pulled back and looked at him keeping her hands on his upper arms. "You look so much like her...Is she here?" Jessica moved away from him before looking around the place.

"She's not here anymore...She died a few months ago"

She stopped turning around and paused staring at him. Biting her lip, Jessica looked towards the pool again as if it were some sort of comforting thought. "I'm sorry; maybe I shouldn't have said it that way"

Jessica shook her head then turned to him with a sad smile. "No, it's fine. I always had a feeling like this that something was going to happen. I mean I hadn't seen your Mother in years though I tried so hard because I wanted to see you. I used to baby sit you at times when she wasn't..." She stopped talking realizing that it was going to sound bad. "Anyway how old are you now? Like fifteen?"

J had walked over to the counter and pulled one of the stools out. He still felt strange but she was family after all. He grabbed the other for her and offered for her to take a seat. She smiled and sat across from him. "Nineteen. How come I haven't heard anything about you from your brothers?" J did find it weird that he never heard of her before.

"Oh I'm like the black sheep around here considering I'm a woman and not a boy that she can control. No offense to you or anything" Jessica paused wanting to tell the truth

J had raised his eyebrows a little at her remark not expecting her to say something as such. He didn't know why but she just didn't seem like the type. Jessica didn't look much like his Mother though he could see a little bit of Smurf in her. She had long blonde hair that was wavy as if she just came out of the ocean. Jessica's eyes were almost like storm clouds as they were a mixture of blue and grey. He wondered more about her than anything else. She actually looked more like Deran and he wondered if they had the same father. Shaking his head, J didn't take any offense.

"They really don't talk much of me because I actually left the house once I turned nineteen and I come and go here all the time. I mean, I did not want to be like my brothers and stay here forever. It actually was the first time I entered rehab"

"Rehab? You are an..." He didn't want to say it out loud for her to be offended.

"An addict? Yeah, I'm not a shame to say it either so you don't have to tip toe around it unless you'd like to. Yeah, I just got out and I thought I'd stop by here to see everyone. As sad as it is, it was the sixth time I've been there but I'm feeling good about this one. I'm not sure if you want to hear this or not but I tried getting your Mother to go, I did once but then she left in the middle of it. This family is a mess whether we all want to admit it or not so I have my reasons for where I am at. Where is everyone anyway?"

"Oh Smurf went to the grocery store and everyone else is doing their own thing I guess"

"J who's bike is that in the driveway honey?"

Smurf's voice had come on the heels of his sentence and they both turned to the hallway's direction. Jessica was bracing herself to see her Mother again because it had been so long. When Smurf turned around the corner, she had paused looking at the girl in front of her.

"Hi Mom..." She said quietly feeling uneasy.

J noticed that was the only one that was calling her Mom as everyone else just said Smurf. He looked between the two of them and wondered if he should let them have their moment. He stood up and spoke, "I'm going to let you two have your space or whatever" Even though he wanted to see what would happen no one said a word.

"It's okay, you can stay in here" Smurf said.

Smurf had placed the bags on the countertop and she walked towards Jessica with a smile. Her daughter had stood up from the stool and had placed her arms around her. It was an awkward hug but they both equally felt okay with it. J had watched them wanting to know more about the story as he didn't have a clue of what was going on.

"It's been how long? I feel like I haven't seen you in years" Pulling away, she grabbed the bags and put them on the kitchen island to be closer.

Jessica had slowly sat back down and reached for one to help her unpack. "It's been awhile, probably close to a year...How come you didn't tell me about Julia?"

That was the first thing on her mind because she couldn't believe that her sister was dead and she missed her funeral. Sure she was in rehab but she could have worked something out to leave for the day. No tears could even form as she was too distracted by the fact that she didn't know.

Smurf had paused momentarily as J looked at her before sitting back down as well. "I didn't want it to interfere with what you were doing. Deran had told me you were in rehab and I was afraid it would interfere with you getting better"

It in fact was the partial truth. Smurf and Jessica had a troublesome relationship due to both parties. She also didn't see the point of telling her because she knew that she wouldn't have come anyway. Jessica left on some bad terms plenty of times and this was one of them.

"A phone call would have been nice. I just wish someone would have told me, I would have sent flowers or something. It would be the least I could do, I lost my sister as well" Her eyes had glanced towards J and there was a little hostility in her voice. Not at him but her own Mother.

The front door had opened much to Smurf's delight as she knew it was one of the boys. Craig had turned the corner like Smurf and paused when he saw her sitting there. "Holy shit...You came back"

He looked stunned as Smurf did earlier but not as much. She carried on with putting the groceries away but kept her eye on them. "Yeah I did and it looks like I'm beating you in the tattoo game"

Jessica smiled as now she had much more tattoos than he had. They used to be in the competition to see who would end up having more but she was winning. She had greeted him with a hug and their height difference was major. He clearly towered over her and it she had to lean on the tip of her toes to give him a proper hug.

"Well little sister, I'm going to hold you on that bet and I promise I will have one by the end of the week"

"You still can't top me, how many do you have, like two? I've got at least ten so you've got a lot to go before you get to my ranks"

Deran had been walking inside of the Cody home glancing over his shoulder. "Whose bike it that?" He was partially jealous though he didn't ride motorbikes often. Hers was a light blue and white Kawasaki Bike that looked like it would be killer to ride.

He then saw a blonde haired female talking to his brother and he knew exactly who it was. Deran's pace had picked up as he wanted to see his sister. He had texted or talked on the phone with her a couple of times but she kept her distance from everyone in the family.

Jessica turned her head still talking and noticed her brother walking towards her with his own smile. It led to J's curiosity even more that they were full blooded siblings due to the fact that she seemed more excited to see him more so than anyone else. Their features were obvious as well but he would wait for the right opportunity to ask.

"You grew! You look taller than the last time I saw you" She joked.

"Yeah well that's what happens when you only get to talk to me on the phone every so often"

"I didn't know you two talked that much" Smurf commented looking over at them. He had found out she had gone to rehab when he ran into her neighbor while out and about. He told Smurf of course and she had called him once while there. Jessica had stayed in it for at least two months before going to a halfway house for five.

"I told you how I found out about everything" He said taking a seat at the kitchen table then looked back to Jessica. "You're sticking around this time right?"

It was an answer that she didn't have at the moment. It was hard being around everyone and being a Cody in general. "I don't know, I got a new place so I've got a lot of unpacking left to do and stuff"

Smurf shook her head then looked towards Jessica, stopping what she was doing. "At least stay for dinner, I'll make something so we can all catch up"


	2. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first family dinner since Jessica's return

CHAPTER TWO: FAMILY MATTERS

There was this odd tension that was in the Cody home and Jessica could feel every ounce of it. It wasn't only between she and Smurf, it was between Smurf and the boys. J just seemed confused on everything like he was looking to solve the puzzle that he had been trying to complete since she got there. Craig and Deran gave short, smart answers to Smurf which led her to believe that something had gone on but she wouldn't dare ask.

"So where are Pope and Baz? I'm surprised they haven't been around" She asked grabbing the head of lettuce and began tearing it up, she was on salad duty.

"Pope had taken Lena to the park after school and is dropping her off at her babysitters to spend the night with her daughter and Baz is probably off doing his own thing" There was a hint of something in her voice that Jessica couldn't make out. "But how are you Baby? I hope you are doing okay?"

It had been the same amount of time since she saw either of them though she was hoping that they were going to come around. Jessica wanted to see Lena considering she would have grown and been bigger by now. Pope and Baz on the other hand was another story, especially Baz.

"Like they tell us in rehab, one day at a time so that's what I'm doing. I feel really good about this though, I spent longer time healing myself and talking to people about my life"

Smurf had given her a look then lightly smiled. "I hope nothing that will backfire on us"

Jessica had really never pulled any jobs with the boys but at times would lend a hand or two if they needed it. She didn't mind it at all and would still get a cut whether she helped or not. The boys had to convince Smurf to at least give her a cut due to the fact that she was family.

"Would I ever sell this family out? I know better than to do such a thing. Besides, that would make me an accomplice considering I know everything that goes down. When are they doing their next job anyway?" She needed a little bit of money since she had to spend most of it going to rehab and bills.

Shrugging her shoulders Smurf wasn't entirely sure. "You'll have to ask them that one. They really don't talk to me as it is" Going for her purse, Smurf had dug through it and pulled out a couple of twenties. "Here, this should do in the meantime"

The blonde had paused when she reached for a knife to cut the tomatoes. Jessica wasn't sure why she was giving her money because she never did that. Looking away from it after a faint pause she shook her head heavily. "I don't need your money"

"Well if your brothers would have kept you in line I'm sure you would have a lot more than now. Trust me, that isn't much to me. Just take it; it will help you get your new apartment together"

Smurf had pushed the money towards the salad bowl and kept insisting on her daughter to take it. Jessica didn't want it even though she needed some. It was just the fact that she didn't want to take it because Smurf would probably expect it back when she didn't have it. Craig had stepped back into the kitchen from the backyard which made her slip it underneath the salad bowl.

"Are you guys almost done? I'm starving and Jess here looks like she could have a decent meal. Not some shitty meal that they cook in rehab. It's probably all vegan and healthy"

"Maybe if you went you would find out" She said back with a little annoyance. One thing Craig always did was nag on her for going to rehab. He never saw any reason to go but she knew that he needed it. Of course three of Smurf's children would need rehab.

"It will be done in about ten minutes. Why don't you go call your brothers again?" Smurf offered before turning back to the stove.

"Pope is on his way here, I can't get a hold of Baz, he won't pick up his phone"

There was a tang of disappointment that had filled Jessica's face but she focused back on the food. Craig had reached for some of it and she chased him out of the kitchen before he could steal anymore.

Once Smurf was done, Jessica had helped place all the food on the table in the backyard. It was Deran's job to turn the patio lights on as the sun was starting to set. She had sat at the head of the table of course as she was the Mother of them all. Craig and Jessica sat side by side while Deran and J sat on the opposite side.

"I'm not waiting for Pope, he can have whatever is left" Craig said reaching for the ribs that she had prepared. Everyone looked at him but he ignored their looks and carried on.

The rest of the Cody's had made their plates as well right as Pope came from inside and stood towards the edge of the pool. "Well look who it is...?"

Jessica had been taking a drink of water when she saw her older brother standing there. "I didn't believe it when Deran called me but I guess we're all full of surprises"

He had walked over and as she was standing up to greet him, he placed a hand on her shoulder and bent down to hug her. It was a strange hug but Pope wasn't really normal compared to everyone else. Jessica would actually be the second normal of the family probably following right behind Baz.

"So how long have you been out?" Smurf asked once everyone was settled and eating.

"I just got out yesterday. I had gotten the keys to my apartment today so I thought while I was out I would stop by. I thought it would be good for me. The place is by the beach so it's really not that far from here"

"So you live by Baz then?" Deran asked as he was the only one really close to the beach. Pope was as well but he didn't tell anyone where he was staying.

Jessica shook her head in disagreement. "If Mr. Hot Shot still lives in that house then no. I live much further down then where he is at"

"So you haven't heard from him?" Pope questioned looking at her. J had leaned forward a little taking a drink curious to what that was about. Pope had watched her intently staring at her across the table.

"No...Why would I? Last I saw any of you was almost a year ago..." Her voice had lingered and she was too busy looking down at her plate. He smirked a little at her words. There was once again more tension.

"I was just wondering if you saw Lena or not. She'll be here tomorrow if you want to stop by and see your niece"

Pope took his own drink but continued to keep his eyes on her. "Jesus, do you really have to stare at me from across the table? I answered no so let's just leave it at that"

Smurf had glanced between them before giving them a stern look. "What do I say about arguments at the table? If you both want to argue I suggest doing it someplace else...Besides, I thought you and your brother were supposed to be taking care of her?"

"She's how old now? I think Baz and I are a little grown to be watching over her"

One thing that Jessica hated was how Smurf insisted that Pope and Baz keep her in line. She was a grown woman and she could handle herself perfectly fine. Maybe she felt guilt over Julia; maybe she just didn't want her to do something stupid.

It was a little silent for the remainder of the dinner and once everyone was done, it was time for Smurf to take everyone's dishes and bring out the dessert. Jessica waited until she was completely in the home before asking a very serious question.

"So what's the next job? I don't want to sound like I'm desperate or anything but I need money until I can get my job back"

J had looked at her surprised that she had a job. He still didn't understand what her role was in the family because he wasn't sure if she helped them with anything.

Pope had begun staring at her again before answering. "A church. We're trying to layout everything before we go in completely"

"A church?" She reached for her glass of water and tipped it at all of them as if it was a salute. "Congrats, you're so going to go to hell for that one"

"Been there and back but it is what it is, right" Deran said before hearing Smurf's footsteps coming back out to the patio.

Nudging J, it was his time to say something to make things less suspicious. Their Mother wasn't in on the next one and Jessica could quickly pick up on that fact without even being told the truth. J felt his elbow hit his ribs and wasn't sure exactly what that meant but he figured what it was anyway.

"So do you guys have the same Dad?" He asked looking towards Deran. Smurf had been putting slices of her famous apple pie in front of all of them but she paused for a moment.

"It's the hair isn't it?" Jessica joked glancing at her plate before looking at J. She leaned a little on the table before speaking again. "Yeah, we have the same Dad but you can't ask us about him because he left before we could really develop any memory of him"

Smurf had taken her seat back at the same spot and agreed quickly. "The guy is a prick, it's simple as that"

Pope had scoffed out a faint laugh at the comment because he, Baz and Craig are the only ones who would remember him. Well Craig was still too young to get a complete feel of the guy but Pope could easily agree with her statement.

"We all have great Fathers, isn't that right Mom..." Craig said putting sarcasm on the last word. He took a large bite of his pie and smiled a closed smile.

Smurf had smiled back at him holding in many thoughts that ran through her head. J had to still wonder who his Dad was and it didn't hurt to ask. "Do you know who my Dad is?"

Deran and Pope had shifted their eyes and continued to eat their dessert. Smurf completely paused and placed her hand on top of J's. She had known that he was still curious but didn't want him to ask. Jessica had continued to chew her pie but did so slowly. With the shake of her head she spoke, "I'm not completely sure on that one. I didn't hang around with your Mom or Uncles back then"

"You are such a liar" Craig said taking a drink of his beer then looked at her. "It wasn't until you turned about sixteen..." Jessica had stomped on his foot hard under the table and that made him shut up, both Smurf and J looking at them curiously.

"Sorry I'm late but I'm glad to see you all started without me" Baz had come from the driveway and into the backyard. He had nodded at everyone and stood behind Smurf when he saw Jessica sitting there.

She had looked up after hearing his voice and stared at him for a moment. Looking back down, she rubbed her hands in her napkin. "I should really get going. I've got a lot to unpack and I don't want to be out late with my bike"

"You're going so soon Sweetie?" Smurf asked watching her daughter get up from the table.

Jessica nodded and grabbed her book bag that was at her feet. "You're still coming to my opening night tomorrow right?" Deran asked her since he had his first bar to open tomorrow.

"And you are coming by to see Lena?" Pope asked looking at Deran before glancing at her.

"Yeah, I'll stop here after school, just text me the time she gets out. And of course, I'm not going to miss my baby brother's big night" She said with a smile before moving around the table. "Thank you fr the dinner. I'll see you later"

Bending down to give her Mother a faint hug, Baz watched her. "I don't get a hello?" Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Jessica faintly smiled before giving him a hug as well.

It was something that was comforting to her but something she needed to get out of quickly. Looking at him for another moment, she waved goodbye to everyone and knew it was best to go back to her apartment.


	3. Bar Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deran's opening night at The Drop

CHAPTER THREE: BAR GAMES

The next day was a complete blur for Jessica Cody. She had so much stuff to do that day that it seemed like the day just decided to pass without warning.

First she had to go back to her rehab to check back in and get the rest of her belongings. Second she had a lot to still move and fussed with a moving truck. Besides her bike, Jessica owned a light blue jeep but it wasn't a big enough car to move boxes in. It was a pain carrying everything and Craig was supposed to stop by to help by he never showed.

She then had to keep her eye on the clock in order to go back to Smurf's to see Lena. She would have rather waited to see her on the weekend when she had more time but Pope would never let her get away with it. He was always judging everyone and she already had enough on her shoulders as it was.

Checking her phone every so often, Jessica caught a few text messages but ignored them on the way to Smurf's. Preparing herself to walk into the lion's den once more, she stepped out of the jeep and closed the doors slowly. Seeing a truck, she knew Pope was already there with Lena.

Removing her sunglasses, Jessica moved inside and glanced around the place not hearing anything. She didn't know why Lena wasn't at her house but more than likely because Smurf wanted to keep her around so often.

Seeing Lena trying to swim in the pool, she didn't realize that she could actually go inside. She wondered where Catherine was because she would never let any of them get her in the pool. Jessica had tried to help teach her how to swim but Cath didn't want her to.

"Hey, look who grew up to be a beautiful big girl" Jessica said glancing at her then closing the door to the back behind her.

Lena had been hanging on the edge of the pool and smiled when she saw her. Pope helped her out of it as she ran over. "Aunt Jessica!" Running quickly, Jessica bent down and grabbed her into a hug. She didn't care if she got wet because she had to change anyway for Deran's opening night.

Jessica and Lena weren't super close but she was her niece, she did everything she wanted for her. Besides babysitting J, sometimes when Cath wasn't in one of her mood swings she would let her babysit her. She would often take her to the beach, Jessica's favorite hangout. If she wasn't at home or at Smurf's, they usually found her somewhere by the water.

"Let me look at you...You look like the perfect mix of your parents" She pulled back to look her over again. A year definitely changes but seeing a child get bigger is completely different. She waved faintly at Pope.

"What is that?" Lena asked her pointing to the bag on Jessica's back.

"You caught me...These are a few things I got for you. A few dolls and books and stuff. Here, there they're all yours" Slipping it off of her back, she handed it to Lena who eagerly began looking through it.

"I thought you said you didn't have any money?" Pope asked getting up from his chair and walking over to them.

Placing her hand on her hip, she placed the glasses on her head then looked at him. "I said I needed money, not that I was completely broke. I'm supposed to spoil her, I'm the aunt" She said smiling at him but he still faced her without an expression. Dropping the smile, she looked down at Lena. "Anyway, why are you watching her?"

He didn't want to say anything in front of Lena because he had forgotten that no one told her about Cath. Pope still had the secret buried deep down inside that he was the guilty one and no one was on his trail yet. Grabbing her by the upper arm, he drug her away from their niece and off to a spot far enough away that she wouldn't hear but close enough that they could still see her.

"Cath is missing..." Pope said in his usual tone which made Jessica furrow her eyebrows in confusion. "She's been missing for a few weeks and Baz hardly makes time for her so someone had to stand up to the plate"

"What do you mean she's missing? Did something happen to her?" Learning about Julia's death was one thing but the fact that now Cath was gone was something really troubling.

"Baz can't find her anywhere. He's done everything he can to find her at the same time neglecting his daughter so you tell me about it"

Jessica didn't understand why Pope was having such an attitude about Baz not taking care of Lena. Of course she didn't agree with the fact that he was abandoning her, it was the fact that Pope had a weird tone in his voice. Sure he loved Lena and was protective of her but she couldn't figure out why he stepped up to the plate considering Smurf would have done it.

"Okay then...Well is there anything you want or need me to do?" She asked looking back over at Lena.

"Why would you want to do anything?" He asked her back.

"Have you been listening to me this entire time?" Jessica now turned back to Pope with the roll of her eyes. "I don't know why you have to be so damn difficult to work with. Lena needs some girl time rather than hang out around all of you and our Mother. If you ever need anything I'm just a phone call or a text away, okay?"

Stepping away, she looked down at herself noticing that her shirt was already drying. It was a hot day out which reminded her of Deran's big break. She had no idea what to wear but that wasn't her focus at the moment.

"Thank you for the toys. They will go perfect in my doll house" Lena said once Jessica popped right over.

"Anything for you" Jessica bent down again and glanced at Pope before speaking. "How about in a couple of days you and I have a little girl's day? We can go get our nails done and head out to the beach like old times that you more than likely don't remember"

Lena's face had lit up a little as she set the doll down and looked at the blonde in front of her. "Can we get ice cream? Can you teach me how to surf?"

Deran and Jessica were probably the best surfers out of the whole family. She had spent a lot of time as a kid at the ocean so she developed a love for it. It was something that she wanted Lena to love and understand because nothing was better than the water and sand covering her feet.

"I don't know about the surfing Lena..." Pope chimed in looking at the two girls.

Jessica had nodded at his words. "Your uncle is right; we've got to get you swimming before we try any surfing. You're stuck with me for at least an hour before I have to leave and get ready for your Uncle Deran's big night tonight. Come on; let's get you back in the pool to swim"

After taking a shower and digging through at least eight different boxes, Jessica was finally ready for the night. She had to prepare herself physically and mentally because in all honesty it was going to be a hard night for her. Wearing another pair of jean shorts, she paired it this time with a loose white tank top and a black bikini top.

It was going to be the first night that she would be around all her brothers because she knew Craig, Baz and Pope would be there. Last night was close but in the presence of Smurf it would always be different because half of the time everyone was cautious on what they would say. It would be a reunion to celebrate something new and hopefully a new start to everything as well.

Secondly it was going to be challenging consider she had just gotten out of rehab. It wasn't like there was going to be drugs sitting right in front of her but it was the alcohol that was a problem. Jessica was fearful that it was going to be something new for her to latch onto since she wasn't using anymore. She was a casual drinker as much as everyone else but she wanted to break away from it for a while.

After finding a place to park, she made her way through everyone that was going to the new opening. She didn't think it was going to be that packed but the night was full of surprises. Once she got inside, she scanned the room to find her brothers but it was piled with so many people that she couldn't find them.

Walking through the crowd, Jessica ducked and moved as quickly as she could before she could decide if she wanted to drown within the sea of people. Seeing a familiar male with a button up short sleeve shirt, she knew it was Pope and made her way in that direction.

"Hey!" Jessica said loudly for him to hear her over the music and people. Throwing out her right hand to make a wave, he either didn't see her or was just ignoring that she was there. "Pope!" She said a bit louder until he looked around and saw her.

"God, this place is insane...Are you the only one here?" She asked once they were standing a little ways off from the crowd.

"Deran is pouring drinks, Craig and Baz are sitting at the bar over there" Pope turned around to find them again and pointed to where they all were talking away.

Jessica nodded and smiled. "Why aren't you over there with them?"

"I'm leaving, I've been here long enough" She had checked her phone thinking that she left too late or something. The place had only opened an hour ago but she guessed Pope had enough of the crowd.

"I thought we'd all get to be together tonight, like old times that we could just hang out and stuff"

Pope shrugged his shoulders lightly before moving away. "Lena has school in the morning"

Before Jessica could answer him, he walked away from her and out through the front door. Shaking her head for whatever reason, she made her way once more through the crowd and over to the boys. Tapping Craig on his shoulder, he turned around wondering who it was.

"You actually came even though you are an hour late" He told her.

"Why are you so surprised I keep showing up places? You act like I've been dead for the last ten years and I just crawled out of the grave"

She pushed past him to lean forward on the bar to give Deran a hug. "This place is amazing, you don't know how proud I am for you...Just don't ever ask me to bartend because I'm not doing it"

Deran had laughed at her comment then turned to get shot glasses. Jessica saw Baz sitting down on the opposite side of Craig so she offered a faint smile and waved to him.

"Okay, seriously you have to do a shot with us because it has been too long and you need a drink" Craig said watching Deran.

The youngest brother had handed out the shots but Jessica hesitated grabbing it. "I have to get back home on my bike and I don't think a shot is going to be the best thing" It was a lousy excuse but she didn't really want to say no.

Craig gave her a skeptical look. "Oh come on it isn't going to kill you. It's one shot, do you know how much I drink and drive home?"

"Don't do that to her..." Baz decided to lean forward and bring himself into the conversation. "She just got out of rehab and you want to pour a drink down her throat. Think about it"

"At least someone here understands the situation" She spoke before taking another glance at the shot. Sliding the drink towards Craig, she knew that he would have no problem taking it.

Jessica asked Deran if she could have anything but alcohol while Craig watched completely bored. He was always the one down for a good time and party but this was just really ruining his vibe. Standing there for a couple more minutes, he bailed on them because he kept saying how much of a buzzkill she was being. That now left her and Baz stuck together while Deran was serving drinks.

"Is there a reason you are avoiding me?" Baz asked her leaning a little on the bar to look at her.

They hadn't said anything for a while so it was only a matter of time before they talked. "I'm not avoiding you Baz..." She said taking a drink of her water. She had been standing in front of him.

He didn't believe her because he watched her leave yesterday. There were many details to their story from start to finish. "Then why did you bail yesterday once I showed up?"

"I said I had a lot of unpacking to do which I still have so I wanted to get a head start. It's not like I have anyone helping me either" She paused and looked at the people to the left and right of them at the bar. Baz raised his eyebrows and nodded knowing that it wasn't the truth but he wasn't going to keep pressing on it. "I'm sorry about losing Cath wherever she may be. I talked to Lena and I want to take her to the beach in a couple of days if that's okay with you"

"Oh I'm sure you are and yeah, I think that will be good for her. Get her out and not around Pope" He said as a general statement and nothing more.

Placing the water on the bar, she placed her hands on her hips defensively. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You two hated each other; I don't believe for a second that you care she is missing" Glaring at him, Jessica had stared at him. It was the truth that the two of them didn't get along but for the sake of the family she did feel bad for both Baz and Lena.

"Well maybe you should start watching her instead of letting Pope do your job, there's a thought" After she said it, she didn't mean it in such a harsh way. She knew that with Cath missing it would hurt him as well. Seeing his face change, he had taken a drink of his own. "Look, I didn't mean it like it. It's good he's helping out I guess. I don't know the whole story so I can't give my opinion.

Grabbing her gem necklace she was wearing, she realized things had possibly taken a turn for the worse. It was only her second time out and about around her family and looks were going downhill. Pope clearly had an issue for a reason she knew, Craig wanted her to go back to her old self and now she said the wrong thing to Baz.

"There's nowhere to sit up here so I'll just go find someplace else" Reaching for her water, he lightly pushed her hand away from it.

"You can sit here, it's not a big deal Jess" Baz told her but she looked for another open seat.

"I'm not going to take your spot just because I can't sit next to you. No really it's fine"

Jessica turned to look at him. He smirked at her and shook his head. "I didn't mean you could have my seat" Trailing her eyes down from him and to his lap, she realized exactly what he meant now.

"Oh that will look real great. Me sitting on my brothers' lap in front of all these people. You're a charmer Baz, a real charmer"

"Who cares? Since when do you care what people think about you?" He asked her looking at her back. Jessica was always a carefree spirit and didn't care if people knew who she was or what her last name was. Maybe Craig was right, she did change a little too much.

A smile had slowly crept on her face and she shook her head, her wavy light blonde hair falling off of her shoulders. It didn't look like there was any other place to from what she could see so she decided why not.

Moving over a little bit closer to him, Baz sat a little straighter in the bar chair for her. Jessica had turned around and fixed herself that she was sitting on his lap. Deran had been walking back over to them stopped before shifting his eyes around the room for Craig. He thought he wasn't seeing things right at first because that was a sight he wasn't expecting to see.

Craig was probably in the bathroom doing coke for the third time as Deran already went off on him twice for it. The way the two were, smiling and laughing was putting pieces together for him that he didn't know. Was Jessica dating Baz or something more?

Walking over to them, he interrupted their conversation. "So uh...You sure you don't want a shot or anything"

Once she looked over, Jessica cleared her throat and sat a little straighter so they didn't look cozy; at least that's how Deran saw it. "No I'm good, where is Adrian at?"

Now he was the one to be caught off guard. Craig was still the only one who knew he was gay and he didn't even want to tell his own sister about it. He was about to answer but Baz interrupted him.

"You've got to be kidding...Did you know she was coming?"

The two blonde siblings looked at him before looking over towards the front door. There stood Smurf, her purse around her shoulder and fishing through the crowd.


	4. Cat and Mouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica and Baz catch up on opening night

CHAPTER FOUR: CAT AND MOUSE

"No...Who told her about this?" Deran asked wiping a spot on the bar to distract himself. He hadn't told her anything about the bar opening.

Baz leaned back a little from Jessica to see him better. "She probably heard about it man, I mean there is talk from all of these people so she either asked or picked up on everything"

Smurf had stopped walking in the middle of the crowd and glanced around. They all knew that she was trying to find all of them and they hoped she wouldn't. In the end she would find them and took off her sunglasses when she spotted them. She smirked a little and carried on her way towards the other end of the bar ways down from them.

Deran watched her quietly then made his way in that direction, he had some questions of his own. Jessica had quickly slipped off of Baz's lap once she realized that Smurf saw them. Baz turned back to her and placed his hand on her hip to stop her.

"Where are you going?" He asked slightly confused.

Looking over her shoulder, she glanced at him before standing on the tip of her toes to see where she went. "I'm pretty sure she saw us..."

"So? Let her see us, what difference is it going to make?" Baz knew what dangers would come about if anyone saw them together. Smurf would have a field day with it considering that he had done the same thing with Julia. They had a history that she didn't even know about and they were planning on keeping it that way. Sighing, Baz played with his hair for a few seconds as she didn't answer him.

Deran had returned back over to them. "God, this is going to turn out to be a disaster. Everything was okay until she decided to show up"

"Maybe she's just here to check everything out and leave" Jessica said after a sip of her water. "Who am I talking about?" She said mostly as an afterthought.

Smurf had gotten herself a drink and went back to the center of the room. She had asked one of the bartenders to turn the music down and began to clap her hands together in order to get everyone's attention. The three of them once again looked towards her and Deran placed his hands on the bar leaning forward with the lock of his jaw. Jessica had leaned back between Baz's legs to situate herself. Holding her drink, she smiled faintly looking back at him who was grinning and placed his hand back on her hip. She had brushed it away but he still insisted and that time she didn't stop him.

"This place is very impressive...Before this bar was trashy and cheap but now it has been turned into something that will work well here in Oceanside" Smurf started one of her speeches.

"Has she even been here before?" Jessica whispered because that would have been something new to her.

"For those who don't know me my name is Smurf and I am Deran's Mother who is the owner of this bar. You know, I am very proud of him. He is the first one of my children to go out and make something of himself"

Baz narrowed his eyes towards her as Jessica nearly choked on her water. It was an insult to the both of them and she really couldn't believe she announced it front of everyone. Jessica had dropped out of high school but got her GED, went to a community college to get a LPN degree and had a job on top of it. Well she had been out of the job due to her addiction at the moment but she had accomplished more than any of them had. Baz who was also another well off saw the remark as insulting and knew it was targeted at them.

Smurf had taken a pause as she continued on, "When I had him, I already had five other children but Deran was different. He is the youngest and a baby at that. As he got older, he grew very attached to me and there was this one time..."

Jessica had bit her tongue wanting to say something but she didn't know exactly what she would have said. She turned to her brother who was clearly embarrassed at the story because Smurf knew exactly what she was doing. By telling a story of how much Deran needed her, that was just setting him up to be ashamed and nervous for the rest of the night.

Deran had shaken his head hard clearly hurt by what she was saying. First she started out by saying how his Father had left them which made him need Smurf due to him being so young. Second she began the story of how his surfing career didn't go anywhere and that he could have been something big but he was too scared to go off on his own. That was a lie but Smurf knew exactly how to bend the truth.

Lastly, Smurf started yet again praising him as if she hadn't just said some damaging things. She carried it on until she ended it yet again on another sour note. Everyone in the bar had followed her and taken a drink except for Baz and Jessica. She leaned back a little to look at him and they exchanged a glance for a moment.

Feeling the embarrassment perk back up, Deran threw his towel down on the floor and moved as quick as he could through the back to the outside. Wanting to comfort her brother she moved away from Baz and tried to go after him but he had stopped her.

"He needs some space for a few minutes. Let him have that and I'll go talk to her about whatever just happened" Baz said as he moved Jessica away from him and disappeared into the crowd to find Smurf.

Plopping down in the bar chair, Jessica sighed heavily and ran a hand throw her blonde locks. She truly wondered if it was a mistake to insert herself back into the family. "Okay...I need a shot" She said looking around for the bartender but of course Craig had come back over to save the day.

"Finally! Someone wants to have fun around here" He said still towering over her and getting the attention of the female behind the bar. Jessica had given him a look and he looked at her with a strange expression. "What? Did I miss something?"

"Where in the world have you been? You didn't hear the speech our Mother just gave practically insulting everyone in the family?" She asked in an annoyed tone.

Shrugging his shoulders he responded, "I was in the bathroom taking care of something so no I didn't hear anything. Excuse me but here is the shot you wanted...Oh and we have this church thing to do in the morning so you are coming to that"

Turning to her left, she looked at the shot before picking it up. Craig had of course grabbed the other one and tipped it towards her. Jessica was ready to get home and crawl into bed because the night had turned into a disaster according to her.

"Well I have no idea where she went so I guess that little talk is going to have to wait until tomorrow" Baz had reappeared just as Jessica was raising the drink to her lips. Blinking in surprise, her blue eyes lowered to the ground knowing she just got caught. "Jess..."

"After that speech I need a quick drink so don't judge me okay?" She said then took the drink before he could stop her once again.

Craig had ordered another round of shots but Baz grabbed his shoulder to get him to stop. "She just got out of rehab Craig...Didn't I already tell you this earlier?"

"The big brother role is starting to get old and by now I'm pretty sure she is old enough to make her own decisions. If my sister wants a shot, then she can have one. I've got some other stuff too if you want it"

Baz had glared at him knowing that he was talking about the coke he just got. Craig hadn't stopped talking about it and it was something that Jessica didn't need to be around. She had done a variety of different drugs and she never just had a preference. Baz couldn't believe that he was trying to tempt her into it.

"Seriously? How many times do I have to tell you she just got out of rehab and now you are trying to get her to snort coke with you in the bathroom? And we all wonder how you have never gone in there in the first place"

Now it was time for Craig to take offence. Jessica sat quietly watching the scene unfold. She had been gone for so long that she didn't even know that the Cody family was fracturing so easily. They had been exchanging a variety of words and she gladly took the other shot that came her way.

Jessica sipped it in between watching them hash out her life. "Okay you guys are getting out of hand. Its fine, I'm okay and I'm not about to send myself away for the seventh time" Neither one of them heard her and people all around them started to look over. "Baz you're shouting and Craig you're a hot mess right now so how about you guys stop?"

Looking around at the curious faces, a part of her wanted to just duck away but she knew that she had to stop them. "Baz!" She shouted as loud as she could over the music and that caught his attention right away. "It's fine and not a big deal. Two shots are okay, okay?"

Craig had also stopped talking and turned to look at her. "We're leaving. You have fun and have Deran call Jessica. If you see Smurf tell her to call me"

Baz had reached out and grabbed Jessica's upper arm and pulled her gently from the chair. Taken by surprise she didn't even know how she got in the situation in the first place, it was just a drink.

"What do you mean we're leaving? I didn't even come with you so I get a say in if I am leaving or not" Jessica had tried pulling out of his grip but he held on tight enough. Now she began feeling embarrassed watching everyone look at them stepping out of the bar.

Once they were outside, she yanked as hard as she could out of his grip which took Baz by surprise and he turned around. "I get you like to have control but you could have just asked nicely"

"And the Jessica I know wouldn't have just left. I'm only looking out for you" He said.

Nodding slowly, she let out a faint laugh and began taking off in the direction that she parked her bike. Holding her upper arms, the air had gotten chilly compared to earlier in the day. "I don't need saving anymore Baz. No matter how hard you reach I will slide right out of your grip every time"

"Clearly because I don't hold onto you tight enough" He stood there for a second before following after her. "Before you disappeared we were on good terms, more than good and now here we are arguing like children"

Jessica moved as quickly as she could to her bike and was relieved when she spotted it. She wasn't ready to have that conversation that needed to be done so she was avoiding it. Grabbing the helmet, she slipped a hair tie off of her wrist and began putting her hair up so she could put it on.

"No, one of us is acting like a child by trying to control my movement. Sorry Bazzy but I'm not that little girl anymore" Bazzy was the nickname she used to call him when they were younger and he rolled his eyes at it, he always hated it. "This family yet again has gone to hell and now I want to get out of the way"

"I'm not letting you drive home on that after two drinks. Go ask Deran if you can put your bike somewhere and I will take you home" Baz said moving in front of the bike to prevent her from starting it.

"You know, I don't mind being bossed around in jobs or sexual situations but this is really starting to get annoying...It was a joke? Don't turn into Pope and look at me like that wasn't funny"

Baz raised his eyebrows at her comment and she stared back at him waiting for any kind of response. Looking at the ground momentarily, he looked back at her. "Trust me; I'm fully aware of that"

Blinking, she mocked a laugh. "Good one...Goodnight Baz" Jessica had started the engine but didn't put her helmet on. There was a part of her that wanted him to keep stopping her but she was ready to get home.

Crossing his arms, he placed his hands on the handlebars right as she leaned forward to position herself to drive off. Their faces were inches apart as they stared down one another, not either one of them moving.

Jessica smiled faintly before kicking the engine off and leaned back on the bike. "You know, you're lucky I'm giving you this chance to take me home"

Baz had smirked once she began getting back off. "Why's that?"

"Because I would never ever leave my bike unattended especially around my brothers because I don't want it totaled. Give me a couple of minutes to find a place to hide this"

He had waited in the same spot waiting for her to do what she had said. His phone had buzzed in his pocket and he knew it was a text so he checked it.

You really shouldn't have listened to me. It's been fun

When Baz read the message his head had snapped up and looked around the parking lot. Jessica had bailed on him and he couldn't believe it. Jessica was good at playing games when she wanted but he really trusted her on this one. He began walking to his car and once he reached it, he noticed someone sitting in the passenger seat.

Pausing, he looked around again trying to figure out who was in his car and how they got inside. The driver's door had slowly opened but he didn't budge.

"Get in the car, its cold outside and I want to change my clothes" After hearing the voice, Baz moved over and ducked down to look. "Surprise..." Jessica said with a playful smile.

He had gotten inside and closed the door before checking his pants pockets for his keys. She had watched him the whole time before holding up her hand which held his car keys. Grinning when he noticed them, she tossed them forward and pulled her hair out of the bun she had.

"I know you're wondering how I got them and what I'm wondering is how you didn't notice this entire time that they weren't in your pockets" She spoke turning a little in her seat to face him. Baz hadn't said anything but started the silver car up. "Next time you ask me to sit on your lap; I would suggest keeping your things in a different pocket. It wasn't that hard to slip them out you know..."

Jessica knew that it had irritated him that she got the upper hand on him. It was actually amusing to her that he didn't realize and that was proof that she fit perfectly in the Cody family. She gave him her address and she waited until he started driving.

"You're real cute Jess..." He said in a tone that was full of annoyance yet had a hint of something else.

"And you're sexy when your angry" Turning back forward and buckling her seat belt, she couldn't help but still smile. "And just for the record I would suggest keeping your hands on the wheel" Baz glanced over at her then clamped his mouth shut yet again annoyed. Jessica knew that she could control him as much as he did to her.

Sitting there in silence, there was an awkward tension that was on many different levels. They both knew it but weren't going to make any comment...Until Jessica decided to be the first one.

"You know, tonight was actually kinda fun. I'll admit it wasn't what I expected but what about you? Was it interesting?"

"I don't know what you are talking about" Baz spoke taking a glance between her and the rearview mirror.

She had continued to face forward before putting her hand out on his upper arm. Jessica left it there for a few seconds before slowly trailing it down his chest and rested it now on his leg. "I'd say it was pretty uneventful minus all the drama that happened. I thought it would be more exciting and lively myself"

Jessica slowly began to smile again once she moved her hand and slyly watched him move in his seat. She knew exactly what she was doing and enjoyed every second of it. Grabbing a hold of his manhood through his jeans, Baz moved yet again and tilted his head back slightly knowing now exactly what she was doing.

"I'm sure this is exactly how you thought tonight was going to go so why don't I just give us a start?" Jessica knew they weren't that far from her apartment and she had her plan perfectly intact.

Not saying anything else, there was a perfect balance between the two and Jessica wasn't afraid to push herself forward. The two of them had been close once before but it all came crashing down in an instant.

She continued what she was doing until Baz had reached her apartment. Seeing the familiar scenery, she pulled her hand away, unlocked the door and jumped out once he came to a full stop right in front. Not believing what had just happened, he jumped out of the vehicle as well.

"What do you think you were trying to pull?" He asked watching her walk away and up a few stairs.

She had paused with a shrug and turned around. "Oh don't tell me that wasn't fun for you...I'll see you for that church thing tomorrow. Don't even think about following me, Goodnight Baz"

Jessica had gone on her way and disappeared into her home at least twenty seconds later. Baz watched her walk away and stood there for a few minutes debating if he should go after her or not. After thinking it over, he got back in and drove away still confused as ever.


	5. The Church Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cody's prepare for their upcoming heist

CHAPTER FIVE: THE CHURCH JOB

Jessica had gotten up early in order to meet the boys at the garage for their little church meeting. She had talked to Deran last night about everything and had gotten all of the specifics about what is going on. She wasn't going to get fancy at nine in the morning so she left on her t-shirt and shorts that she slept it.

She thought it would be best to get their early because everyone would be on time and would be starting whatever it was they were starting...But she guessed wrong. Jessica had stopped before going there and got everyone coffee because she knew everyone more than likely would be hungover. Well that mostly went to Craig as the others didn't drink that much or not at all.

Trying to balance the tray with one hand to check her phone, she thought she was at the wrong address or that Deran was just trying to play a joke on her. Nearly dropping it, she saw a truck pull next to her car and was relieved to see Pope hop out.

"Could I have a little help here?" She called out trying to shield her eyes from the sun.

He had walked over and grabbed them before it spilt. "What are you doing here?" He asked opening the garage door much to Jessica's displeasure. She assumed it was locked and didn't try it.

"Craig told me yesterday to come so here I am. I really didn't think I was going to be the first one here or I would have taken more time driving around...What's the deal anyway with Smurf?"

Jessica had asked once she helped him with the coffee. She handed him his and took a drink of hers before sitting on a table that was in the middle of the room. With her missing all of that time, she still wasn't filled in on how the family was falling apart. Baz or Pope would be the only ones to give a straight answer.

He had glanced over at her before setting things up. "We just want to do this job by ourselves...And Baz has this crazy thought that she has been stealing from us"

Raising an eyebrow, she took another drink. "Need any help?" Jessica was thinking he was going to answer no right away but he didn't say anything. "Oh come on, I'm always helpful and I've got nothing better to do"

"Don't you have to get your job back?" He questioned stopping and give her one of his famous stares.

Agreeing, Jessica first thought about it then shook her head. "It's not like I'm just going to get back in there one two three. Maybe it all honesty I miss you guys and as much as I'd like to distance myself I want to stick around for a while.

"What happened this time for you to want distance? Have another affair?"

Narrowing her blue eyes, she knew exactly what he meant. Before she had left, she and Baz had a little thing that started and ended once she disappeared. Cocking her head, she looked towards the ground then at him.

"I get that you always loved Cath and all but for you to hate me for sleeping with Baz that one time...Do you think I was okay with it? If some people didn't lie that night I wouldn't have had much of a problem. If you could keep it under wraps that would be great but I don't know why you hate me for it"

Cath had actually found out but somehow unknown to Jessica's knowledge. It then turned into a little fight and from that moment she wasn't allowed to be around any of that family. Cath kept Lena away and she and Baz had no choice but to keep their distance. No one else knew and the only reason Pope did was because Baz had told him.

"I don't hate you for it....I just don't think it was a smart move...You guys aren't going to be something. He's supposed to be your brother"

Jessica had opened her mouth to answer to him until she noticed Deran and Craig walking in. They both looked miserable and that was something she was expecting. It took Baz and J some time to get their as both had school duties but it was now officially a family picnic.

"What are you guys doing exactly?" She asked as Baz ordered her away from the table. She had given him a smirk for what happened last night. He clearly wasn't going to say anything and would act like nothing had happened for the moment at least.

"There is a safe with money in this church" J said sitting on the floor to help connect some things together. "We have to go through the air ducts in order to reach the room" He only answered because he was the first one to speak.

She still seemed a little lost on what they were doing at that exact moment. They had air ducts in front of them and she wondered if it was some sort of practice. It was in fact what she was thinking and it was interesting for her to watch. Craig had been moody all morning and stuck to his coffee refusing to jump in.

"See, that's why you should be sober. You could function at nine in the morning" Jessica commented bending down to take a look inside of them.

"I function perfectly fine thank you" He responded. "How in the hell am I even going to fit in there? If you haven't noticed I'm taller than all of you and someone little has to do it besides J...Deran you're not that big, why don't you try it?"

"Maybe that's because I'm on the duty with you and the car. How many times are we going to go through this? Pope is the one downstairs, we are upstairs, and Baz and J are going into the ceiling"

Jessica stood back up with a stretch. "You know if you really need help I can easily fit in there"

J had been climbing inside of the ducts while Baz stood on the opposite side of Jessica focusing on the work they were doing. He shook his head hard at her which made her frown. "No. If you really want to help you can go down with Pope. I'm not taking you in there which you've never done something like this"

"You say that as if I've never had the upper hand on a situation. Remember that time you guys robbed that storage unit or something and I was the one saving your asses by distracting the guard? By the way that wasn't fun considering I had to flash him to get his attention"

Everyone but J snickered remembering it. She had just turned eighteen and it was her first time that she had saved them during a job. They all made small talk between working through it all before Craig decided to storm out complaining once again and came back at least twice.

Deran and Jessica had been standing side by side waiting for J and Baz to wait it out. "What ever happened to that guy you were dating? What was his name, Anthony something?"

Rolling her eyes, it was past history. "Well where do you want me to start? I thought we had something and apparently we didn't because he ended up having a girlfriend that I didn't know about. I gave him a second chance but then he never returned my calls or anything"

That was probably the highlight of Craig's day. "What did you do to him?"

Jessica smiled his way. "Oh I didn't do a thing" She tried playing it off to see if either of them were going to fall for it. "No, I went over to his place one day and beat the shit out of him. Why? Because I felt like it. The guy hurt me so I only paid back the favor. I never saw him again, I really think he moved"

"He probably knew that we would come after him if he found out" He said then tipped his coffee towards her. "My badass little sister is growing up...God I wish this was alcohol"

It was time to go scope out the church at least one more time before the boys went in and robbed it. They just wanted to get one more feel of the place and needed to show Jessica if she was going to tag along. She more than likely wasn't going to but just wanted to get more details.

They had to split up their little group considering that six people wouldn't fit in anyone's car. Deran and Craig of course stuck together and J ended up going with them as well. Jessica, Pope and Baz took Pope's truck which was going to make for an uncomfortable ride.

She had sat up front with Baz driving and Pope sat in the back constantly shifting his looks between them. "You could have dressed better you know" He said picking on Jessica's clothing choice.

Jessica glanced in the rear view mirror to look at him. "Well no one told me we were actually going or I would have changed. Besides, I said I would go home real quick but no of you guys would let me go" She did feel slightly embarrassed to go into this fancy of a church dressed like she just rolled out of bed.

"No one told her about the plan. I thought Deran would have filled her in better but I guess he decided to leave out this tiny detail" Baz spoke making sure the boys were behind him in their vehicle.

Pope smirked faintly and shook his head. "You two aren't going to turn into something...Right?" He asked clearly wondering if they were going to continue their little romp or move on. "I mean, Smurf isn't going to take it too kindly, neither are Deran and Craig. It's a little creepy if you ask me"

Both Jessica and Baz kept quiet and ignored him. If they were to turn into anything they weren't going to say a word to anyone and especially their brother. "You are the definition of creepy Pope. Don't even try to back me into that corner with that one" She commented quietly.

Jessica knew it wasn't exactly the right thing to say and he didn't take it kindly. Pope unbuckled himself and sat forward. He draped his arms on the console between the two seats. "You want to say that to my face Jessica? Remember that Baz and I have kept you in check all of these years and you are always screwing up. That's why Smurf doesn't want you around, you are too damaged"

She had looked over but her posture showed that she was clearly uncomfortable. Jessica took a deep breath and kept her mouth shut because there wasn't anything she could say. Baz glanced over before trying to keep his eyes on the road. "Pope, get back in the seat"

Turning his head sharply in his direction, he had a comment in store for him. "Or what? You're going to stop the car and throw me out? It's the truth. You screwed Julia over so why don't you just do the same to her. She was drunk anyway, remember? She's never gonna care for you in that way and neither are you"

Luckily they just reached the church parking lot and Baz took a hard turn. Pope caught himself before he took any damage from it. "Jesus Christ, you two either get along for this or just leave. We have other things to worry about then this and I don't want to hear any more about it. Got it?"

Jessica bit her tongue before hopping out of his car quickly. She was seething inside for various reasons. One was that Pope of course had to be an ass to her, second was that Baz didn't defend her and third she couldn't just get in her car to go home. She was now stuck with them for at least a few hours.

"Woah, what happened to you?" Craig asked once he stepped over. He watched her whip the car door open from before.

She had given him a deadly stare and crossed her arms waiting for the next move. Baz was shaking his head as he walked over to everyone before laying out the entire plan. "Alright, you two need to go search around, you still have the fake badges and things right?"

Once they nodded, the two exchanged looks and backed away slightly. Baz continued on, "J sticks with me since we are the ones climbing into the room. Pope and Jess, you guys stay with us and see how much money you see. They're going to tell the donations but there will be more due to the various programs floating around in there. Everyone ready?"

As the Cody family split up in their respective ways, the four had gone into the lobby and glanced around at their surroundings. The church was going to reveal how much money had been donated and that was exactly what they needed. Once they all made their way to the main room, Pope had ditched them and gone all the way down to the front.

Baz had tried stopping him but that was the thing, there wasn't anything stopping Pope from doing his own thing. He let Jessica go ahead of him and he guided her on where to sit. She had sat at least three rows in front of he and J.

The blonde female in front of the room had already started talking and the place was packed. At least that worked in their favor so they wouldn't seem so suspicious. As she started talking about the money, all four of them perked forward a little interested in the case.

It was enough to split between all of them and was a good amount at that. Jessica had to hand it to them for finding such a good spot. The next move however shocked three out of four of them. The woman who introduced herself as Amy had gone over to Pope and decided to kiss him in front of everyone.

Jessica had watched them then slowly look around at Baz. She mouthed at him if he knew about it but he shrugged his shoulders with the same confused look. He then nodded for her to step out and back out into the lobby so she did what he said. She waited for J and Baz to show up which took a couple of minutes.

"Did you know about that? And he wants to say what we did was crazy?" She asked in a hush then realized J was right behind him. Taking a breath, she looked back over to the doors watching the people flood out.

"You think if I would have known I would have let him in on it? Yeah it's a good advantage to have but no one even knew he was banging this chick"

That made Jessica make a face at the thought of it and waited for her older brother to come out. After some time there he came out, hand in hand with Amy. The three had exchanged looks as they walked over.

"Guys this is Amy. She's one of the people who work here and leads the church group"

"You've been going to a church group?" Jessica blurted out. None of them were religious and she wondered what in the world he was doing this time. "Not that there's nothing wrong with it, I mean..."

She had turned her head to Baz hoping that he was going to dig her out of the ditch she was in. Glancing at her, he was stuck as well but was always good at quick thinking. "Congratulations on the donations, I'm sure the church really needs it"


	6. A Bloody Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica heals J's new injury

CHAPTER SIX- A BLOODY SITUATION

The Cody boys had to pull off their church heist and is was a problem from start to finish. Jessica hadn't helped them even though she had seemed so eager to do so. There were a few little problems that popped up and it left it up to Pope to fix them down stairs.

Deran and Craig were fine but the real issue came between J and Baz. First J had slashed his leg open on metal which would only leave a blood trail if they were smart enough to look where they broke in at. Second the safe and money was harder to get than what they assumed. With him being wounded, it only slowed them down slightly and in the back of Baz's mind did pop Jessica. She would have been extra help but they still managed to get away with it all.

All of them had met out in a little desert not too far from Oceanside or their homes but a place far enough to feel accomplished over everything they did. Pulling up to the other cars, Baz asked J if he needed help but he told him no.

"Did you guys get a hold of Jess yet?" He asked his younger brothers while hoping out of the truck.

Craig had already starting celebrating with a bottle of beer. He took a drink then shook his head. "No, she must have her phone turned off or something. She won't pick up. What's the deal anyway?"

Baz watched J slowly stepping out and limp his way towards the old sofa that Deran and Craig were sitting on. "He cut his leg open on a piece of metal and I need her to get down here before he bleeds to death...What about you Deran? You're the one closest to her"

Pope had been sitting to everyone's far right and scoffed at his comment. "I wouldn't say she is the closest to him anymore"

Baz ignored his comment while everyone looked towards him. Deran shook his head as well and looked back to Baz. "I've called at least ten times and sent a thousand text messages. She's not going to answer anyone"

Ruffling his hair, he debated on getting back in the truck and driving to her apartment. It was going to take at least forty minutes and he'd rather get it over at done. "Well it looks like we are going to do this the hard way then. Someone find something to stitch his leg up"

No one had moved until Baz order them yet again. They had searched around for something even though all of them wanted to get to the money first. J's leg was looking pretty bad and they could let it stay open as deep as it was. Craig had found a stapler and that was the best they could do for now.

"Dude, that is sick. That might even beat out when I got shot" Craig had sat back down while glancing at it.

J had to slip his leg out of his pants carefully as the pain was too much. He couldn't stop staring at the staple gun and there was no way that he wanted that to happen. With Jessica not answering, he couldn't leave the wound open as deep as it was.

"You're not going to staple my leg shut...Right?" J already knew the answer but he was still fearful.

"Oh man up already. I've been through a lot worse" Pope spoke walking over and bending down next to Baz. He had concentrated on what to do but he wasn't sure how well it was going to work. The staples wouldn't hold that much but it was a temporary solution.

Taking a deep breath, Baz reached into his back pocket for his gloves. "Until we can get ahold of her this will have to work. You sure you want to go through with this?"

The next morning J was in the worst pain of his life and his leg wasn't looking any better. He knew it had only been hours but the staples weren't holding. Two of them had ripped out of his skin from moving and taking a shower was the worst of it all. The blood had turned the water red completely and he hardly could stand on it. Aspirin wasn't taking the pain away and Jessica was still MIA. Deran was supposed to stop by her apartment but he hadn't heard anything yet.

Taking his time getting out of the shower, he hobbled back to his bed and sat down gripping his leg tight. J wanted to take a closer look at it but he already knew what it looked like.

"Oh hey...What happened to you? I saw the blood in the shower and..." Nicky had just stepped out of the bathroom and paused looking down towards his leg. Things were awkward as it was with her dating Craig so J tried covering himself up better.

"Nothing, I just hurt myself yesterday and it still keeps bleeding" He said calmly but winced when he moved.

Nicky stepped over and was in shock when she saw his leg. It was bad, very bad. She didn't understand how no one took care of it. "You need to go to the hospital, if that gets infected it's going to get a lot worse and you end up getting your leg cut off"

He shook his head no before speaking, "You know that I can't go. Deran is trying to a hold of Jessica for her to come look at it"

She had made a confused face and shifted her eyes thinking who he was talking about. "Who is Jessica?"

They two of them had yet to meet. "My Aunt Jessica" She had been looking at J still uninformed but nodded slowly.

"Well I'm going to call her because no one else is doing anything about it. Does Smurf know?"

After answering the mysterious call from a random girl named Nicky, Jessica couldn't keep her distance any longer. She was only taking a step back to do the things she needed to get done and didn't want to bother with her brothers. Hearing about J's leg however persuaded her because something terrible had happened and they definitely needed her for this one.

Arriving at Smurf's home, she knocked then stepped inside to the quietness once again. Nicky had jumped up from one of the living room chairs to greet her. Jessica slipped her shades off. "I'm taking it your Nicky?"

"And your Jessica, J's in his bedroom" She pointed before having her follow her in that direction.

Nicky had glanced over at her a couple of times without trying to stare. She wore a long aqua blue, white and black stripped skirt that was quite a pattern to look at. She wore a t-shirt that hung off one shoulder which was black but cut off mid torso which showed off her tone and tan body. Jessica had her famous blonde beach wavy hair once again; she looked like a typical surfer girl from California. She couldn't help it but felt somewhat jealous but Nicky wasn't going to say it.

"Now what happened? I leave you all to do with heist and next thing I know you're hurt. Let's see what happened" Jessica discovered that Nicky knew everything already and she was thankful she wouldn't have to tip toe around it.

J had managed to slip on a pair of board shorts so he had to lift them in order for her to see his leg completely. Stopping in front of him, her mouth had popped open when she saw the sight of it. Bending down, she didn't say anything and poked around the wound making him wince yet again.

Jessica let out a breath of air then looked at him. "Okay, good news is I'm here, the bad news is it's infected and needs a lot of work" She leaned forward to look at it closer. "Wait, who the hell stapled your leg shut?"

Her face had dropped when she realized that part of it. When he answered Baz, she shook her head heavily with annoyance reading her face, Jessica should have known. "Okay, well you're lucky you got a hold of me. Nicky, I need some towels, peroxide and a pair of scissors"

"What are you going to do?" J asked after hearing what she needed and Nicky disappearing to get them.

"I'm here to make sure you get better right? I'm going to close the wound properly then call Baz to have a nice little chat with him. Hang here while I run back to my jeep and get what I need"

Fixing J's leg up was sure a journey but at least Jessica knew what she was doing. Prepared with gloves, she began to dig out the staples and pour the peroxide on it which sizzled and J bit back as much pain as he could.

Nicky had broken Jessica's concentration but it was better than silence. "So how bad is it?" She had sat down on the floor watching and waiting just in case she needed something else.

"Not that bad that he'd have to get his leg chopped off. Eh, a little antibiotics and my work will look like a miracle" Pulling the last staple out, she wiped her face in her forearm then dug through her box of medical supplies.

Nicky leaned forward to see what she was digging through. J had looked as well trying to distract himself. "So how do you know all about this?"

Jessica smirked a little when she noticed them both interested. Grabbing some gauze, she started wiping some blood away before unrolling some string in order to stitch it. "Your Grandmother. Being a female in this family means not getting to do jobs with the boys so she persuaded me to get into the medical field. I don't want to be a doctor or a formal nurse, I wanted to be a chef but those dreams went right out the window. Anyway back to the long short story, she made me go just in case something like this happened. If one of my brothers got hurt, I'm here to do what I can since they can't go to a hospital"

"I wanted to be a doctor when I was little, well most kids do at that age" Nicky commented still curious. "You seem a little bitter about it though, how come?"

Grabbing the needle, she stuck it through J's leg and yanked the string through before glancing over towards her. "I didn't get to be what I wanted. I had to work my ass off to pay for school because I didn't get help. First, I was high all the time and had to get clean in order to concentrate and second I had to work at a strip club to afford school"

That had surprised both of them but Jessica's went back to focusing on the stitching she needed to do. She had to make sure to pull it tight enough in order of it to heal properly and without any more infection creeping around. She had shifted her blue eyes for a second as silence filled the air again. The questions didn't bother her as she knew J didn't know her and Nicky was still a mystery.

"So...Are you older or younger than Craig?" That made J irritated so he shifted before Jessica slapped his other leg to tell him to stop moving.

"Younger but not by much. He, Pope and Baz are older than me and Deran is my baby brother, same father if you are realizing the similarities. Mess of a family, right?"

Wiping the blood with the towel, it was at least almost over. Working her way through all the stitching, she had to wrap his thigh in gauze because it had begun bleeding due to all of the work. "Well now you need a tetanus shot which I don't have so I'll have to see if I can get some from the hospital, oh and some medicine"

"Is that where you work?" J asked trying to slip his shorts back on. Jessica began slipping the gloves off and Nicky went to help him.

"Sometimes when I have a job or I help doctor friend of mine. Believe it or not I've got a diploma and degree so you can't be that surprised about it. Anyway, Craig probably has some pain pills for now until I get you the right meds which I can do tomorrow or tonight. Had to get rid of mine for obvious reasons" The brunette had looked at her curious which made Jessica turn back to her.

"I snorted them all and it sent my dumbass to rehab twice. Two for those pain pills, two for coke and the last two was for..." Jessica had to stop realizing how sad and disappointing that made her sound. Sighing she continued on, "Second to last was sedatives and once again for coke"

Jessica's eyes trailed away and she moved into the bathroom to throw the gloves out. She needed to step away for a moment in order to regain her composure. It was something she was ashamed of yet wasn't afraid to talk about it. Smurf had thrown it in her face more than once and the first time she did made her feel indifferent about the situation.

Staring in the mirror, she looked at her reflection and reassured herself that she was in the right spot and doing the right thing. Jessica didn't look like a mess; she looked healthy and felt it. It was just another realization that she had to face once again.

Tossing the gloves into the trash, she stepped back out into the bedroom to clean up the rest of the mess. "You can walk okay right? I know it has to hurt like hell but I can't do anymore work" Jessica said grabbing the towels and glancing at his leg again.

"I'll be okay..." J was going to continue until he heard his phone go off on the dresser top. She told him she would get it for him.

Looking at the caller ID, she shushed him for a second before sliding her finger across the phone. "Hello, J's phone, Jessica speaking"

There was silence on the other line until the voice spoke. "Jessica? Where have you been? We've been calling you since last night"

"Do not try and pin this one on me Baz. I fixed his leg because some people didn't use their genius brain to come find me instead of blowing my phone up. Clearly I was trying to ignore all of you"

Jessica had continued to ramble on but Baz wasn't about to listen to it especially over the phone. Sighing, he tried his best to interrupt her and it eventually worked.

The two of them had to leave Smurf's home and go to Deran's bar in order to split up the money from the church heist. Jessica had to help J in and out of the car as well as into the building because he was going to hobbling around for a few days. The rest of the boys were already present when they had showed up.

As she moved his over to one of the chairs, J slipped his arm from his shoulder and winced when he had to move. Jessica snapped her head up towards Baz with a faint glare, she was still angry with him.

Deran and Craig of course were sitting next to each other, Pope sat to the far end, Baz stood towards the head of the table and Jessica took a seat by J. The all had exchanged looks, mostly towards her since he decided to show up and waited for him to speak.

"We did good as always and everyone pretty much gets an even share with a little left over that we still have to divide up. Pope and I counted through all of it so take your pick" Baz said while placing the folders on the large table with the money in it.

Each of them had taken their cut and opened it to make sure it seemed like a good amount. Jessica placed hers down, looked towards J then back towards Baz. "J gets the extra money"

"What?" Craig asked turning towards her. "No, we all get what's left"

"This kid has his thigh ripped open because your brother decided to staple it closed. It's infected, he needs a tetanus shot, medication and pain meds which I know you have and on top of it he can hardly walk"

"He doesn't even have to go to the hospital because you're here; he has no bills to pay. Besides, it wouldn't have gotten infected if you would have answered" Deran said.

"You know where to find me. If I'm not home, I'm at the beach. If not the beach then rehab or one of the clinics, I'm always around town. I'm the only one in Oceanside with a light blue jeep and bike. I'm not that hard to find"

Jessica wasn't that mad or anything, she was just irritated that she was in the situation. It would be blamed on her by the boys and Smurf for not answering any of the calls. Now all the boys decided to chime in with Jessica and J staying silent. Smirking a little at the scene she grabbed the folder again, stood up and made her way back out to her jeep.

The Cody's watched her leave and remained divided on the money situation. Deran got up and went behind the bar to get a drink. Craig headed somewhere and Pope turned towards Baz. "You better go get your girlfriend"

J raised an eyebrow at the comment. Baz glared towards him, "Seriously Pope, stop" Shaking his head, he headed off after Jessica and Pope knew exactly he would.

Reaching outside, he looked around for her car then moved in that direction in strides before she could leave. "Jess wait...Why are you storming out?"

She had just begun to buckle her seatbelt when she heard him so she looked in his direction. "I'm not storming out, I'm going home. Is that okay with you or do I need permission again?" He was out of luck because he couldn't stop her in a car compared to a bike.

"You're not mad or anything right?" Baz hung his arm on the side view mirror.

Jessica shook her head with a faint laugh. "I'm not mad Baz, I just want to know where in your little mind did you decide to staple his leg shut. He's only seventeen and in this mess because we rob people. Forget it, I'm completely over it"

He had given her a look knowing that she was at least angry with him. "Tell you what, let me make it up to you and you can call it even"

It was her turn to give him a skeptical look. Jessica glanced into the rearview mirror to fix a few pieces of her hair. "Making it up to me means your bedroom. Baz, I already know what that means and just because we slept together once doesn't mean you get me again"

"Who said anything about a bedroom?" He joked which made Jessica smile and in return him as well. "And you know if we are really counting it's been more than once"

Shaking her head heavily, she really didn't think he would have remembered but there was a surprise for her. Jessica didn't comment and started the jeep up.

"You're leaving me in the same spot again?" Baz asked backing away.

Sliding her shades on, she looked at him. "I told you I was going home and I'll see you sooner than later I'm sure...Besides, you enjoy this game"

"Oh so now we're playing a game? Fine, but don't blame me when I push you too fair that you're not going to be able to back out"

Smirking towards him in an amused way, Jessica Cody left the mess that was starting to unfold.


	7. Pools of the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smurf calls the family together for a dinner

CHAPTER SEVEN-POOLS OF THE FAMILY

"So what's this all about Smurf wanting to have her kids over for dinner?" Deran asked climbing back onto his surf board.

He and Craig had gone surfing to clear their mind of the mess that's been going on lately. Smurf hadn't bothered with any of them really since the night of Deran's big opening so she had to know something. She had asked them to dress nicely which was something that she never did.

"I don't know...Maybe she found out about the church, I'm sure she watched the news" Craig answered back sitting on his own board.

"Make sure you wear a tie" He said more as a joke than anything else. "Do you think she knows about other things?"

"What do you mean other things?" The waves had picked up which made them drift a little part. Craig had to move back over. He didn't know what he was talking about and honestly didn't have a clue to what he was alluding. "Do you mean about you and Adrian or something?"

"No I already told her about everything but I didn't tell her about him" He paused looking out into the ocean. "Just everything, we're all falling apart man; I don't know what she expects from us"

Seeing a wave approach, both brothers hopped onto their boards in order to catch it. Deran being the more successful surfer did a much better job than Craig. As another one came about, they caught it before meeting back up in the middle of the ocean.

"So what do you think about Jessica being back in the fold? When did she get to boss us around?" It was now Craig's chance to ask a question.

"Well I for one can say I missed her but things do seem a little different...You see those looks that she keeps giving Baz?"

The brunette male had a slight laugh then shook his head in surprise. "What? No I haven't been paying that much attention" He tried thinking back to any moment but there was nothing that crossed his mind. "Maybe they're, you know. Maybe the two of them are fucking behind Smurf's back"

Deran nearly did a double take at him. Rolling his eyes he did think about it once before but never said it aloud. If something was going on between them it would change the whole dynamic of the family, not only with Smurf but with the boys also.

"You really think that?"

"How the hell should I know? I'm only saying it because you are having some weird thought in your head. You remember when we were younger and she always followed him around? I wouldn't be that surprised if it happened"

Trying his best to remember, Deran thought it over but couldn't gather that much. "Do you think she would?"

Craig had completely turned his board around to face his younger brother. "What's the big deal? Julia and Baz had a thing so..." He waited for him to answer because he still seemed a little off on the situation. He never picked up on anything. "Oh I see what this is about, you're afraid he'll sweep her off her feet and you won't have a sister anymore"

Narrowing his blue eyes towards him, he scoffed at the remark. "No that's not what I'm concerned about but I'm glad you care about my well-being"

As afternoon hit, the Cody's had to prepare themselves for whatever they wanted to call it. They were all going to hang out in the backyard before dinner because Smurf said she would be out for most of the day until she had to come back.

Jessica of course was the first one to show up and had the entire house to herself. She didn't exactly know what to do but she never wanted to miss a good tan. Even though she was supposed to dress accordingly, she knew that no one would so she didn't even bother.

She dressed in once again jean shorts but at least wore a nice shirt that didn't look too bad. It was a white and blue stripped collared shirt that she tucked into the shorts and at least made her look presentable. Jessica tossed off the clothes before laying down on one of the chairs. She enjoyed the sun hitting her tan body, her white bikini and frankly she had nothing better to do. 

It wasn't until an interruption had happened which changed her plans for the day. "I'm glad someone else came this early, I thought I'd be here by myself" Deran had come from inside and took a seat in the chair next.

She kept her eyes closed because she knew who it was by his voice. "Baby bro, how's the bar coming along? I've been meaning to stop in again but I've been busy"

He had just opened a beer and took a drink. "It's been going good, I think I'll need some more recipes that you gave me" Deran debated on asking about what was going on but wondered if he should. "So how are you?" He went with a safer question.

Sitting up straighter, she wiggled back on the chair to have her face more in the shade. Jessica turned her head and raised her hand to cover her eyes. "I'm as bright as the sun. Recovery isn't easy but I did come home this time, right?" She offered a faint smile. "What about you? When am I going to meet one of these girlfriends of yours?"

He hadn't told her that he was gay as Craig was still the only one who knew. Deran had been looking back at her and instead put his legs up lying in the same position she was. "If I tell you something, you promise to keep it a secret?" She nodded slowly with a confused expression. "I um...I'm gay"

With her mouth popping open to say something, she looked away and towards the pool. He now felt judged and thought maybe he shouldn't have said anything but it wasn't like he could take it back. Jessica took a second then looked back at him. "So when can I meet one of your boyfriends?"

Jessica smiled which felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "I'm not exactly out in the open about it so...You're cool with that right?" Deran asked taking another drink.

"Why wouldn't I be? You could do anything you want and I wouldn't love you any less. I'm not going to turn my back on you just because you like guys, how many girls did I mess around with before I turned twenty?" She had actually dated both genders before and saw nothing wrong with it. It wasn't a secret either and every knew about her flings. "Now I know why you always wanted me to invite Trey over all the time"

Trey had been her boyfriend in high school and that made Deran shake his head with a laugh. Jessica now teased him over it in a playful way and was excited for him. "Okay stop it. I didn't' have a crush on the guy or anything. Craig is the only one who knows so if you wouldn't mind keeping it quiet..."

"What do I know that no one else doesn't know?" Craig had just walked over from the driveway. Of course he didn't dress up and wore baggy shorts and a surfer tank top. Deran had said something to him about it but he brushed it off. "You two are definitely related; at least you both could look like you're going to a family dinner"

Deran's clothes weren't a suit and tie but he wore a nice shirt and pants. "That our dear brother here is gay and we don't have a problem with it...Right?"

Craig had moved to stand in front of them blocking her sun. Yelling at him to move he didn't budge so she slipped her shirt back on. "No, like I could care less if he's dating a guy or not. It's not my preference but whatever works for you. Hey, remember that time you made out with that Jade girl or whatever her name was. That was hot for sure, you were lucky...I think I slept with her after that"

Jessica blinked then exchanged a look towards her younger brother. Grabbing her shorts, she slipped them on and began tucking the shirt back in. "You're disgusting. I'm your sister and you think it's hot I made out with a girl, here I thought Pope was the one who had problems" She stopped quickly when she saw him walking in. "Anyway, enjoy my sloppy seconds cause I did her first"

Laughing out loud, Deran nearly choked on his drink. It was a revelation to him and he in fact found it hilarious. The look on Craig's face had made it better. Nicky, J, Baz and Lena all had showed up at different times but at least everyone was together.

Lena had been getting her nails painted a light blue by Jessica who in turn just painted hers. The little girl was excited and once she was done ran off to ride around on the bike Smurf got her in the driveway.

Everyone had been making pointless conversations. Jessica stood up and looked at the edge of the pool debating on if she wanted to go for a swim. She didn't want to ruin her hair or make-up but she stood near it staring at the water. Craig had nodded towards Deran signaling for him to notice her.

"Careful Jess, remember last time you were in the pool?" Craig asked which made her turn to face him. Shrugging her shoulders, she backed away slightly not knowing what he was talking about. "Oh come on you have to remember that?"

"What happened?" Pope questioned curious to what was going on.

"The one time we threw a party, Jessica here decided to go for a swim and nearly drown in front of all these people and this guy she was crushing on. Safe to say he left after that"

Thinking it over, she mocked a smile then shook her head in disbelief. "First off you gave me enough coke to overdose so I was high out of my mind. You then dared me to go swimming and your brother thought it was a great idea to throw me in it. Trust me Pope, you didn't miss anything"

Baz had been sitting in one of the chairs listening and had laughed along with the others remembering it like it was yesterday. Craig had given him the side eye to tell him to do it again and he didn't hesitate at the chance. Jumping up, he moved over before she had a chance to turn around and grabbed her around the waist.

"Baz get off of me!" Jessica yelled trying to pry his hands off of her. He was stronger than her and was dragging her back to the edge of the water. "I swear to God if you throw me in there!"

"You'll what? Call my Mother and tell on me?" Baz responded and Craig was finding too much enjoyment in the situation. Since she was their little sister, they always picked on her.

"I'll kick your ass! Let me go...I'm serious" She was trying not to laugh because she knew they were just playing around.

Deran shifted his eyes between them before giving Craig another look. "You better let her go man before she gets mad"

Baz turned his head to his left agreeing with him and let her go out of his grasp. Just as she was turning around, he quickly shoved her forward and she reached out to grab him before falling right into the pool. He ran away and sat back down before Craig leaned passed Deran to give him a high five.

It took a few seconds for Jessica to come up but once she did she was furious. She didn't have a second pair of clothes and didn't want to walk around in her bathing suit all day. She splashed the water as hard as she could at them before wiping her eyes. "I just did my nails!"

J was willing to help her but had a hard time getting up due to his leg. He watched Pope enjoy the fun before getting up and bending down reaching for her hand. Jessica took it and thanked him as she climbed out of the pool.

"Oh it's all in good fun, you know we still love you" Craig said tipping his beer bottle towards her with a wide grin.

"I would have got you out myself but I know you would have thrown me in there" Baz spoke.

"I hate all of you..." She snapped before walking away raising her middle finger. Jessica now had to dry her clothes and figured out what she would wear.

She was now standing in the bathroom she was in a day ago with a towel wrapped around her though she was still dripping wet. Jessica didn't want to go back home to change and wasn't going to wear anything Smurf had. She had put her clothes in the dryer and all she had was her bathing suit. Untying her top, she tossed it into the shower before moving into Smurf's room.

"Hey...I don't know you if you'll fit in them but you are more than welcome to wear some of my clothes" Nicky had come through the doorway which made Jessica jump slightly.

Feeling relieved at the thought, Jessica was thankful and agreed on it. After going through clothes that Nicky handed her, she was lucky to fit in a pair of shorts and a fitting t-shirt. Ruffling her hair, she knew that Smurf had a blow dryer some place and once she found it she moved into the bathroom to do that.

Nicky had come to the rescue once more and offered her makeup because hers had faded off due to the water. She promised she'd make it up to her and took the things into the kitchen to watch the boys and apply her make-up. Jessica grabbed a portable mirror and sat at the kitchen island.

"I always wish I had a sister but I ended up with a little brother. Well half-brother actually" Nicky said facing the opposite end of it with her back to the doors.

Not minding the company, Jessica sorted through the items. "Still a brother is a good thing right? Well as long as they are a pain in the ass like all of them out there" Grabbing some eyeliner, she began to focus before raising her eyes to look at her. "So how long have you and J been dating?"

Biting her lip, Nicky wasn't aware that she didn't know about her relationship. "Um...I'm not dating J anymore. I'm with Craig now"

That made the Cody sister freeze at what she was doing. She hadn't talked much to her since J's leg and she had automatically assumed that they were dating due to their age. Nicky saw the look in her eyes and she looked away for a moment.

"Oh, okay..." Jessica really wasn't sure what to say that would be polite. She'd have to have a talk with her older brother, it looked like she needed to talk to pretty much all of them. "So...You're J's age though right? Look, I'm not judging that much because everyone in this house has mommy and daddy issues. I'm not one to judge anyone anyway, look at the way I ended up"

She went back to the eyeliner and that was okay for Nicky. "We dated but things didn't really work out so I kinda clicked better with Craig and here we are"

Nodding faintly, she went now for some mascara. "Just be careful. Not saying he's bad guy but I know my brother better than you" Jessica had smiled faintly and didn't want her to feel uncomfortable even though she felt it a little. "Was J your first boyfriend and first you know...?"

Being only curious, Jessica just wanted to understand the situation a little bit better. She had told Nicky she was just trying to get to know her and she was fine with it. Nodding yes, there wasn't any tension of awkwardness in the air until she asked the next question. "How old were you the first time?"

Screwing the cap back on, she placed it down feeling trapped in the question. Looking around for the eyeshadow, Jessica took a long pause before speaking. "Probably like sixteen. I had this boyfriend and I was too nervous to do anything with him. He broke up with me of course but I was like fourteen or something. I lost it to someone else at sixteen" Trailing off, she stared out the doors at her brothers.

Nicky watched her then got a little confused on what she was doing. Looking over her shoulder, she gazed out as well. Turning back to Jessica, she glanced on more time and then it finally clicked to her, she was looking at Baz. Once Jessica noticed the brunette looking out the window, she cleared her throat and began with the eyeshadow.

"Anyway, there isn't much else to tell from that point forward. Just make sure you stay safe because I really don't think you'd want a baby at this age" Jessica was hoping that she didn't understand anything.

Thinking it over in her head, Nicky was dying to know the answer but didn't want to ask it. She didn't know her that well and quite frankly she could become offended. "Are you and Baz like a thing?" She couldn't help it anymore.

Finishing both eyes, Jessica looked up at her but couldn't say anything. They weren't dating and they definitely weren't an item. They had a different relationship at the moment that would possibly lead someplace else but wasn't moving fast enough. Jessica didn't have a problem dating him but it would be Smurf and the Boys that would. She hoped Baz would feel the same way and if they did turn into something, it would have to be secret like any other time they had a moment.

Not being able to find any words, Smurf had come around the corner, bags in hand just like last time. Shifting and moving quickly, Jessica began to gather the make-up up.

"Hey baby...Are those Nicky's clothes?" Smurf asked setting the bags down on near the sink looking her daughter over.

"Yeah, my clothes are in the dryer...I hope that's okay?" Jessica asked slowly sounding like a child asking permission.

"Of course it's okay. What happened to them?" She smiled at Nicky who began to help with the groceries for dinner.

"Go ask your sons or should I say son. They were dripping wet and my bathing suit is in the shower. Thankfully Nicky had clothes that fit me so I could change"

Turning her head to the right to look out the window, the Cody boys were drinking and laughing as always. Excusing herself, she opened the patio door and walked over to them with her hands on her hips. "Okay, what did you do to your sister this time?"


	8. I think we're alone now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baz and Jessica get some alone time

CHAPTER 8-I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW

Luckily Jessica didn't have to wear Nicky's clothes for long as hers was completely dry. She was just relieved because she didn't feel comfortable in her clothes. The reason being was that they were too tight and she didn't know her that well yet. After learning that she had been with Craig instead of J, it rubbed her wrong faintly and she was standing in front of the dry waiting for the bathing suit.

"Hey, I really hope you are not mad for earlier" Craig had stepped over with two beers before holding one out to her. "Here, a little peace offering"

She was right in the middle of tying her hair up into a messy bun when she glanced at him. "I told you I'm not drinking" Jessica replied and it came out a little harsher than intended.

"Okay, I didn't think you would get that pissed over Baz throwing you inside the pool. We were just messing around like we did when we were kids, what's the big deal?" He could understand her being a little irritated but not to the extent she was. "What? Do you want me to apologize? I'm sorry, does that solve our problem?"

Jessica heard the noise go off from the dryer and she leaned forward to turn it off. "What's the deal with you and Nicky? You do realize she's like jailbait right?" She wasn't sure if she was underage but J was seventeen so she assumed they were the same age.

"What's the deal between you and Baz?" He countered back which made her snap her head in his direction. Craig had smiled a little before going back to her question. "She's like a few months from being eighteen, her family is gone to some country and she's a cool girl"

"Which that means having sex and doing coke together right?" Jessica couldn't recall anytime that he had a girlfriend or just a girl that stuck around. She was excluding Ren because they were friends and she hadn't seen much of her in the last few years. "She's underage Craig; you really don't need to be messing around with her"

He set both beers on the washer and crossed his arms, looking down at her. "And you didn't see nothing wrong with losing your virginity to your brother did you?" The look on her face had changed. "Yeah, Nicky asked so before you start judging me I would take a look in the mirror"

Jessica had no idea why Nicky would resort to Craig for information especially when it had to do with her. Everyone knew about that time because Smurf had actually caught them right in the middle of it. She had gone on and on about it for days and even Julia was wrapped up in the mix.

"This has nothing to do with me Craig. All I'm trying to say is you need to back off of her before something happens that you are not going to be able to walk away from"

"I know exactly what you are saying; you think I'll take advantage of her like Baz did to you"

Feeling taken back by the remark, she honestly felt it as a slap in the face. Out of all of her brothers she and Craig always went at it. They had clashing personalities and she always tried to act like a big sister to him when it was the other way around. Jessica didn't know why he was biting so hard at her and that only started to make her bite back.

Shaking her head heavily, she glanced around the backyard to make sure no one was around. "Baz didn't take advantage of me. Don't try making him sound like a fucking pedophile when you are doing the same thing"

"Oh, I'm a pedophile?" Craig asked removing his arms from his chest, he was slowly getting angry. "I'm sorry but who was the one sleeping with Baz while Julia was messing around with him too?" Closing her mouth, he didn't stop there. "You two got kicked out because of him and that's why she started to hate you. Why do you think Pope convinced her to go to rehab, it wasn't you Jessica. Ever since you got here you look at me with judgement because I like to have fun"

Scoffing out a laugh of surprise, this conversation was taking a complete turn. "You're the one trying to get me to snort a line of coke with you at the bar, are you kidding me? What is your problem with Baz that you have to take it out on me?"

They both could tell their voices were rising and it was something that neither really wanted to get into. Feeling attacked, Jessica slammed the dryer shut and waited for him to answer. Craig had sighed heavily and grabbed the beers. "I'm not taking anything out on you...Let's just forget about all of this and live peacefully among one another, deal?"

Jessica had debated on it but wouldn't forget what he said. She still felt very indifferent and hurt by it but she would brush it off for now. The reason being is she didn't want anyone else picking up anything and especially not Smurf.

She stepped away to go change into her normal clothes and give Nicky hers back. Sliding the door into the kitchen, she moved back into the bathroom and quickly changed before anyone stepped back inside. Smurf was out back at the grill while the boys had been mostly hanging around the pool and elsewhere.

After feeling refreshed, Jessica folded the clothes and wondered where she should put them. She didn't know where she was staying even though she assumed it would be with Craig. Moving into his bedroom, she placed the gently on the bed and glanced around at the memories. She headed to her old room that she shared with Julia for a while until she moved out and it officially became her room. It was weird being back in there because there was an equal amount of good and bad that happened in there.

Going back out into the kitchen, the blonde had wanted a glass of water so she moved to one of the cabinets. Opening the one closest to the refrigerator, she realized it was just plates. Smurf must have done some switching around and she didn't know where the glasses were.

Hearing the backdoor slide open, she turned around. "I can't find the glasses, where did she put them?"

Baz had been closing the door, he moved over towards the island in the middle. "They are above the sink now. She had this moment where she decided to go crazy and change everything in here"

Nodding at his words, Jessica stepped over to the sink and opened the cabinet to look. There were different types of drinking glasses inside so she was trying to figure out what one to take. "Thanks by the way"

She had gone to turn around to face him again until she collided until something. She knew it was him because it was obvious it was a person, a man in fact and he was the only one in the house. Setting the glass down, she placed her hands on the sink. "Now what are you trying to do?"

Baz was at least two inch taller than her so it was a benefit that he could tower over her to a certain degree. Smirking faintly, he placed his hands forward and on top of hers that were laying on the counter. Shifting back slightly, he gave her a little bit of room to move but he had her trapped right where he wanted her.

"Seriously Baz, back up before we get in trouble or something" She said trying to pull her hands away. Jessica turned her head slightly to peer over her shoulder at him.

"We're not kids anymore Jess, that line isn't going to work. Smurf can see all she wants" He commented back to her.

Laughing faintly, she got one hand free. "Just like she saw us the first time? Look, I don't know about you but the next time we have sex I don't want her deciding to catch us in the act"

That was one thing that always bothered her about everything. Smurf seemed to know everything about every one of her kids even if they hid it well. It was going to be a secret if anything came from it and she wanted to do everything in her power to keep her mother from knowing. When she decided to lose her virginity to Baz everything was going perfect until Smurf decided to come home early.

She hadn't let either of them get away with it but making comments constantly but Jessica was the one that received more but that was before she was kicked out. After spending almost a year with a friend of hers, she was allowed to go back home.

"Oh, I see now. I didn't know you were planning on another time" He said before looking towards the door and leaned back further to see if anyone was coming.

Removing her other hand quickly, she spun around and now her back was pressed up against the sink. She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and glanced between his arms. Baz had turned his attention sharply back to her and narrowed his eyes towards her but not in a mean way.

It was time for Jessica to smile towards him. "If I were you I would really contain your excitement" Her blue grey eyes had trailed down and she was ready to pull her move she did nights ago. Leaning forward, she reached out and grabbed his manhood again. "I have you by this Baz and you are going to keep thinking with it as long as I'm around"

Jessica believed that it was going to throw him off but Baz had instead kept his cool. He of course moved slightly out of reaction yet still stayed perfectly still. They had both been staring each other down like two animals fighting one another for food. Raising an eyebrow, she waited for a response but there was something else up his sleeve.

"Cat got your tongue? You're not going to say anything at the moment or are you just feeling paranoid that someone is going to see this?" She now glanced over towards the door and was only pushing him because he was doing it to her. Her heart was beating like crazy because she didn't want Smurf to walk in.

Now that Baz knew she was distracted, he removed his hands from the sink and instead placed them on the bottom of her thighs. Pulling her up, that made Jessica let go and let him do what he was doing. Picking her off the of the floor, Baz lifted her and set her on the edge of the sink with Jessica having no choice but to grab his upper arms for extra support.

"I've got you exactly where you want at the same time" Baz grabbed the front of her shirt and began to unbutton a few of them and Jessica let him, watching every movement. He then trailed his hands down to her shorts. Placing them on her hips, he tugged on the belt loops and Jessica voluntarily leaned forward to have their faces inches apart.

"What are you going to do? Do me on the counter?" She couldn't help but become excited and interested herself. She moved her hands towards the edge of his t-shirt, wanting to pull it over his head.

With their faces inches apart, Baz spoke, "Is that what you want?"

Nodding slowly, Jessica pouted before leaning forward the same time he did. Their lips had met and it seemed like no one else even existed. She had wanted to do that since she saw him again, actually she wanted to do that when Cath told her to stay away from him. It was a desire that she had always been told to stay away from but Jessica couldn't help it.

On the other hand Baz had always seemed like he had a thing for Jessica. Then again he did have a way with him and especially Julia but there was a different connection he had with her. There was the same line of being told not to and it was hard to not act on that. Also, the two of them didn't get to finish what they had started numerous times.

Both Baz and Jessica ignore everything in their surrounding for the time being until it was going to get interrupted once again. J had been limping his way towards the door on Smurf's order to have his leg checked out. He had been looking down when he opened it but stopped completely when he saw them.

J hadn't been sure on what to do so he looked behind him then turned back to him. He cleared his voice which made Jessica back up from Baz, her shoulders hitting the cabinets and making a thud. She looked down at herself and began to button her shirt before hopping off the sink. Baz had moved away from her and turned the other way.

"Um...Smurf asked if you could check my leg out..." He said quietly flickering his eyes between them in surprise. He still didn't know Jessica that well so it would be a shock to him.

"Yeah, I'll grab my things from the car. It will be easier for me to do everything in the bathroom" She said looking up at him, her cheeks slightly rosy.

The boy had nodded and began making his way in that direction. Baz turned his head to the right to see him moving along. Jessica had placed her hand on Baz's shulder for a moment before walking away and out onto the patio. Once again their moment didn't get far and was interrupted. Even though both of them had wanted it, they never seemed to even get near having sex.

As she was walking by the pool, Craig shouted out, "What took you so long?"

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear out of nervousness, Jessica didn't say anything. She glanced over at him, wiped her lips and quickly made her way to her jeep. Baz was only a few seconds coming out after her and he went to sit by the pool.

"What's your problem?" Pope asked him, luckily he didn't have seat to the show earlier.

"Nothing..." He answered back, leaning for his drink he had before. "What? Nothing is wrong, okay?"

Jessica had returned back into the house through the front door instead of coming from the back and watching everyone's reaction. Meeting J in the bathroom, she had asked him to sit on the toilet lid in order for her to check it out.

Unwrapping his bandage, Jessica sat down on the floor before going for her peroxide. "I'm sorry about interrupting earlier...Smurf had sent me in and I had no idea that you and Baz making out..."

She hadn't said anything and continued to do what she needed. She started to wipe around the wound and J began feeling uncomfortable. He didn't know anything he could say that would change what was in the air so he thought it was best to stay quiet.

"Everything is looking good. The antibiotics are killing the infection perfectly, the wound is slowly starting to stitch together and scab...I know it still hurts like a bitch but once it closes a bit more it will stop. Does it still bleed a lot?"

Looking at the old bandage, Jessica examined it before looking at J. "No, not really. I mean sometimes when I take a shower it does but not as much"

"That's more than likely all the blood that's stuck within the stitches and it trying to heal. Did you get that tetanus shot that you needed?" J had given her a skeptical look, he forgot about it completely. "Alright, let me see if I can get something then from the clinic because you'll forget again. After your shower don't wrap it back up and let it breath for a while"

She began to wrap the wound again even though it didn't need a bandage. Jessica was worried that he'd get another infection because losing his leg at that age would be a disaster. She had been a nurse, not a surgeon and there was no fixing that.

Jessica began to wash her hands off and looked into the mirror a moment. Getting up, he began to help clean up her supplies. "J?" She asked and that got his attention. "Can you keep all of this quiet?"

"Keep what quiet?" He wasn't entirely sure what she meant between her and Baz or his leg.

"What you say? If anyone finds out, especially Smurf..."

J had no doubt in his mind that she wouldn't like what transpired. Smurf seemed to show who she liked more and Jessica wasn't on her favorite list. He agreed to not say anything though the dinner they were expecting was going to change that.


	9. The Kids are not Alright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fight breaks out at the family dinner

CHAPTER 9-THE KIDS ARE NOT ALRIGHT

As Smurf was finishing up the dinner for the night, she kept her eye on everyone. She had been quietly observing everyone in order to figure out what everyone's mind was. They had pulled the job without her and she was honestly seething inside. They were her children, half of the time she helped with the jobs and now no one was in need her.

Of course J was wrapped on her leash as she was still pissed that he had gotten injured during it. She didn't know the degree of it but if Jessica needed to be called for it to be fixed then it was bad. J was morphing into her favorite especially over Baz and that was beginning to rub him the wrong way.

Baz had always been the one in charge of everything and he was to a certain degree. He knew that his ties with Smurf were running low because she wanted someone else to take his place. On top of it he wanted the money that he knew she was hiding and he was going to get it.

Pope had always had the strangest connection with her but he was beginning to act distant. She knew that he had been spending a lot of time with Lena because her own father wasn't bothering with her. He had the guilt of killing Cath haunt him and he was worried that Baz would end up finding out at some point.

Craig and Deran had always been tied together as if they were still children. The way the Cody family was divided was Pope, Baz and Julia against the three youngest Craig, Deran and Jessica. Doing things together was always in their nature and they still seemed to be close. Even though Deran was showing signs of growing up with his bar, the team work was still there. Smurf had believed she'd be able to get them back in but they were changing their ways as well.

That last left Jessica whose relationship with Smurf was never good to begin with. She had always felt like and been the outcast once she got old enough. She was never afraid to call her mother out on her lies, her controlling ways and how she pulled everyone like a string. Jessica blamed Smurf partially for her drug addiction and how hard of a life she had compared to her brothers.

The matriarch could tell everyone didn't want to be there but she was glad they showed up. Jessica and Deran were close but seemed to be annoyed at Craig. Baz and Pope seemed to have something between them. J acted weird over something and Smurf wanted to get down to it all. Plus, Nicky had begun dating his Uncle which only irritated him more.

"Dinner's ready..." She called out from in the kitchen. Luckily for her Lena had gone to a friend's down the street and even though she wanted her there she didn't have to tiptoe around questions.

The Cody family had gotten up from around the pool, glanced at one another and made their way to the table. No one knew exactly where to sit so they just figure out a place to sit. Smurf had sat at the head of the table looking at all of them, waiting for them to take a seat.

Nicky and Craig sat to her left, the closest to the house. They were joined on that side with Baz and Pope sat at the other end across from his Mother. Deran sat closest to her followed by Jessica and then J. The two of them had to stay separate after their making out scene in the kitchen even though they wanted to sit by one another. After they all made their plates which consisted on her famous meatloaf and side dishes, it was time for the awkward silence to begin.

"How's the bar doing baby?" She asked Deran looking over at him.

He looked up from his plate to look at her then looked away for a moment. "Good...Really good actually. I'm surprised at how well it's been turning out"

Smurf had smiled and placed her hand on top of his. "I always knew that my youngest would grow up to become something, you don't know how proud I am"

After hearing these words being repeated, Jessica reached for her glass of water and took a long drink. Sure she was proud of her brother as well but the fact of the matter was that she never heard that. She actually got her GED and college on top of it, more than he ever did.

"Lena seems to be well adjusted without Cath now. I hope she's okay and I want you to bring her by here more often. She needs some sort of Mother figure in her life" She said switching her attention between Pope and Baz.

The brothers exchanged a glance but Baz was the one who spoke. "She's behind on her schoolwork but I'll keep that in mind"

"From what I heard she's been spending a lot of time with Pope. She told me earlier that you seem to be angry with her. I get that the whole situation with Cath is hard but she is just a child Baz"

Smurf had given him a stern look whereas Baz was taken back. He had shifted his eyes towards Jessica and she faintly shook her head for him not to say anything. It made her smile that she could easily push their buttons so she decided to turn back to eating.

After a few bites, she spoke up again. "I mean, I have all my wonderful children sitting here and I can't be more grateful. You all turned out fine and I don't want Lena to not have a chance"

It was time for Jessica to cough out a laugh at the remark. That was a complete lie because her children were not fine. Three of them had drug addictions, one had been babied his entire life and had a hard time breaking away, one had issues mentally and one had always been reminded that he wasn't blood related. Smurf had a perfect flaw with each of them that should could and would use against them.

The Cody sister turned back to her food and took a big bite knowing Smurf heard her remark. Clearing her throat she spoke once again, "How are you doing Jessica? Have you been able to get your job back at the clinic yet?"

After a moment of pause, Jessica answered, "It doesn't get better and it doesn't get easier. It's not like it's ever going to go away. You just have to get used to it...Not yet, I have to wait until Shaun gets back to ask him" A friend of the family but mostly Jessica's ran a medical clinic where she primarily worked. The local hospital was wary of her due to her addiction but she always had a place there.

"I always said that you would end up like you Father..." Smurf commented then took a bite of meatloaf. She smiled faintly then looked towards her.

"How would I know? I never had the chance to get to know him because I'm sure you drove him off before Deran or I could" She answered sharply then turned to look at her Mother.

Craig had to laugh at her comment but did it slyly. He opened his mouth the laugh out loud but quickly covered his mouth. He didn't know why he found it funny but it was probably because Smurf hated whenever someone decided to back talk her.

She had stared back at her daughter finishing her food. Smiling politely again, Smurf was growing tired and annoyed. She wanted the family to get back together and this was slowly going the wrong way.

"I only meant it as a simple statement baby, I didn't mean it in any other way" She took a pause for a drink. "I kept him away due to the fact that he was a drug addict and a prick. He didn't need to be around the both of you, actually all of you for that matter"

"Well you did have two kids with him so he can't be that bad" Deran chimed in with defense for his sister. They both had discussed it between one another many times on how much they wished they had a father figure in their life. It had maybe affected them more so than the others

She had glanced towards her brother with a smirk but he hadn't looked at anyone. The table was becoming silent once again and there wasn't denying that there was tension among almost everyone there. No one else was going to say anything for a while and it remained that way.

Once everyone was either finished or near being done, Smurf slowly stood and looked at everyone in front of her. "Well if anyone here is interested I made dessert and I was thinking we could have it inside...Unless you all had plans"

Smurf began grabbing her plate along with the rest of her belongings. She asked Nicky to help her which she agreed to do as the family sat there. Once they stayed inside to clean up and Smurf to put her famous pie on plates, the Cody's exchanged glances.

"Are we all going in there or what? I don't know about you but I really want some dessert..." Craig said looking between everyone before standing up. He was the first to step inside without anyone even though he asked the question first.

"Don't you think she'll think something's up if we don't?" J asked.

"The kid is making a point" Pope spoke. "We don't go in there and she loses her head. She already knows that we ripped off the church and she's going to be on our asses until one of us confesses to how much we got...No one told her, right?"

Everyone shook their heads but no one was that stupid to say anything about it. Pope had nodded in agreement to everyone before leaving the table himself. J had struggled to get up but trailed behind him. Deran really wanted to get back to the bar to see what was going and who was there but there was a point to going inside.

That left Jessica and Baz sitting there by themselves. She had been lost in thought and was staring at the table placement. He was trying to get her attention but nothing was working. Leaning forward, he reached out towards her as she wasn't close enough and left his hand open.

"Jess...Are you coming or what?"

Hearing her name, Jessica looked up and towards him. "I'm really not in the mood to sit there and kiss my Mother's ass for her to like me Baz. I don't have it in me tonight" Her voice had been delicate.

"You think I want to? Look, I know she's saying things to get under everyone's skin because she's pissed about not being in on the job. That's what Smurf does; she wants to divide everyone to get answers. You don't go in there, she wins"

"It's not the same for you, for any of you actually. I can't do anything right by her. It's the same and I'm not going to pretend to be okay with it and we are one big happy family"

Taking a breath, he pulled away and leaned back in his chair. Baz glanced towards the open door before standing up. It was Jessica's decision if she wanted to or not and he wasn't going to decide for her. All he could do was convince her to go inside. After a few minutes, the blonde had stood up slowly and followed him into the Cody home. Everyone had been lounging in the main room usually where they all hung out.

Jessica had plopped down into one of the chairs, crossed her arms and stared forward. Smurf had been sitting closest to Pope while Deran and J were all the way across from them. Nicky had been sitting behind Craig who had been doing coke on the table in the middle of the room. Baz had stopped in the kitchen for another drink but slowly stopped walking when he saw the scene.

"Seriously man? How many times do I have to get on your ass for this?" He couldn't believe what he was looking at. Baz looked towards Smurf and held his hand out towards him. "You're not going to do anything about that?"

"Why should I baby? He makes his own choices" Smurf said with the nod of her head towards him.

Jessica's eyes had been fixed on what her brother was doing. After doing a line, Craig leaned his head back in order to feel in run through his veins and to take the drug in. Once he lifted his head back, he noticed his sister staring at him. Raising an eyebrow, he offered it toward her and that was when Baz nearly lost in.

"No she doesn't want any. Your sister just got out of rehab, how many times do I have to drill this into your head?" He said with anger rising in his voice. He looked at everyone else in the room. "No one's going to comment on the fact that he is offering her coke when she just got out? We wonder why Julia was too high to ever function"

"Baz..." Jessica said drawing her attention away from the drugs. She tilted her head towards J for him to watch what he was saying. "I'm good, it's fine"

"No it's not fine Jessica...." Baz covered his mouth for a second then continued on. "Come on, I'll take you home"

She didn't understand exactly what was going on because she had driven her jeep there. She'd have to come back in the morning and Jessica was feeling that she wanted to keep her distance for a while. Jessica didn't answer him and that let the floor stay open for Smurf.

"What are you so worried about? Jessica's a strong girl, she's can handle herself under pressure"

"She's gone to rehab six times Smurf; you really want to make that seven?" Baz fired back.

Pope turned towards his mother. "Is that what you trying to do? See how well she does under pressure?" He had wondered if there was a goal to it al when he first noticed it.

"Hi...Hello? Can we all act like I'm here and I can speak for myself. Baz, I appreciate you standing up for me but I can talk. I should get going anyway; I can't really be around this stuff for the sake of my own sanity"

Standing back up, Jessica wanted to remove herself from the situation before anything got worse. She really was two seconds away from doing coke with her brother that she could feel her hands shake out of the need for it.

"Are you two becoming some sort of thing again? Another incident perhaps?" Smurf asked moving a little bit on the long couch. She had a faint smirk on her lips once again. "Cath is gone what, a month or two and you decide to have a fling with my daughter?"

Jessica was standing next to Baz as she was just passing him but stopped with her back facing her mother. He had stared at Smurf but kept his cool. They both were still keeping their relationship hidden and he was going to do his best to move her off the topic for Jessica's favor.

"Nothing is going on between us. I'm the only one who has something to say to you because no one else wants to defend her. Didn't you ask Pope and I to watch over her to begin with?"

"That doesn't mean screwing her Baz" Standing to her feet, Smurf walked towards the middle of the room. "What were you two doing earlier that took the both of you a long time to come out? I can only think of one thing..."

J had felt it was in best interest to speak up. He had liked Jessica since he met her and he knew how much all of this meant to her. Even though it had been a few weeks of knowing her, she was his aunt and his mother's sister. "Jessica couldn't figure out where you put the glasses and she asked him where they were" He voiced which made Smurf look his way. "When I went into the kitchen Baz wasn't even in there"

Jessica spun back around and gave J a thank you look while he changed his focus between them. "In all due respect, I don't understand what's going on. You invited me over for dinner and now all of a sudden I'm getting remarks thrown in my face"

Crossing her arms, Smurf faintly narrowed her eyes towards her. "I'm not making any remark towards you, if I said something to hurt your feelings..."

"Oh Deran, I'm so proud of you. Oh my youngest has done so much for himself. I love my brother, I do but why is it that he gets all this praise when I did everything for myself?" Jessica started counting on her fingers. "I actually graduate high school, I went to rehab, paid for a nurse degree while working at a strip club because my own Mother wouldn't help pay, I got my own car and place"

"Where is this coming from?" Craig spoke up clearly bothered by what she was saying. That was his biggest problem with her was her opinion. It always made him feel like she thought too highly of herself and better than them. "Ever since you came back here you want all this praise because you're clean again. How long will this last Jess?"

"Hey!" Baz said with enough loudness in his voice to get Craig to slowly rise to his feet. Nicky had grabbed his hand to hold him back. All hell was breaking loose for no reason at all. Deran was even confused on why he was being used as an example.

Smurf had commented to the boys to calm down and she moved over to her daughter. She smiled before pulling her into a hug, one that Jessica didn't really accept. It was all damage control on her part in order to get her back in good graces. After at least a minute, she backed away and kept her hands on her upper arms.

"There, is that what you wanted?" She asked her gently.

Shaking her head in faint disbelief, Jessica spoke, "I'm going home. I don't have patience for any of this, not tonight. You are my Mother Smurf..." She had more to say but it wasn't supposed to be said in front of everyone there because they clearly were watching the show.

Baz was still offering to take her home in order to speak with her more on the situation. They needed to talk about what happened earlier and this mess that was starting. Jessica didn't want him too because she didn't want to return in order to get her jeep. She had to wait for him because Smurf wanted him to stay for a moment so she went and sat at the pool, sticking her feet into the water.

Waiting a couple of minutes until she left, Smurf now turned her complete attention to her son. Unlike Jessica, she got right in his face and stared him down. "What are you trying to do? Turn my daughter against me?"

It wasn't a secret that they weren't getting along because of the last job. The whole church heist was done because Baz had a hunch that she was stealing from them. He wanted to pull something that didn't involve her so they could split the money evenly.

"Oh, so she's your daughter now?" Baz fired back staring her down as well.

That made the whole room turn upside down and Smurf feeling insulted and angry. "You know what Baz, I took you in when you were younger. I raised you, I fed you and I gave you a safe place to stay. You were beat constantly and I was here taking care of your wounds. It took me weeks to get lice out of your hair and this is the thanks I get? You did a job without me and now you think you are running the show?"

All the arguing had made Deran get up and wait a few minutes. He didn't want to be there anymore with all the arguing going on. The bar was more important than what was going on so he decided it was time to leave. He wasn't going to get in the middle so he gave a signal to Pope and left without a sound.

"I get it Smurf; I'm not your son. You mind me of that all the time and you can stop throwing it in my face..." It was best for him to just back away from the fight before anything else was said.

Taking a few steps back, he started to back away to the outside patio. Smurf thought of it as an accomplishment because she knew that he wouldn't talk back to her. He had done so before Jessica had returned home because they had gotten into it then. Slamming the door shut, he made his way for the driveway.

"Come on Jess, let's go" He called out and glanced over his shoulder but she didn't budge.

Jessica was too busy playing with the water that she wasn't paying any attention to him. That was one reason she loved the ocean so much was because water always calmed her down. Sighing, he now walked over to her. "Are you ready to go?" Baz questioned.

Removing her feet, she reached for her shoes before climbing to her feet. "You didn't have to do that in there"

"Yeah I did because no one else would have"


	10. Old Acquaintances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica heads back to Smurf's and runs into a surprise guest

CHAPTER 10-OLD AQUAINTANCES

"Jessica...I know you are in there. Open the door" Pope had banged on her front door again for the fifth time waiting for a response.

Since the disaster that happened at Smurf's, Jessica hadn't gone back to get her precious blue jeep. She had been doing one of her famous traits and that was staying away from the family. It had been something she did all her life and her popping up wasn't a surprise. The only reason it was for a year because she never stayed away for that long.

The reason Pope was there was due to the fact that she was refusing to answer the door to anyone. Baz had stopped over there more than once, Deran did at least two days ago and now it was his turn. On top of it Smurf wanted her car out of the driveway but of course she wouldn't go pay her a visit.

"If you don't open this damn door I'm going to break it open" He said in a calm tone but was frustrated that she wasn't around.

He knew she was home because her bike had been parked out front. Jessica had moved to an apartment not too far from Baz but they still weren't close. He lived directly on the beach where she had been at least five minutes away from it. It was a large beige colored building with stairs that led to the first floor, wrapped around to the second where she resided. It was in a good neighborhood as well so it was nothing to really worry about.

Glancing around, Pope looked to his left and right to make sure no one was around or coming out of their own apartments. Fishing around in his pocket, he was lucky enough to have a hair pin. When taking Lena to school she wanted her hair up and tried putting it up in the car but needed help. Pope must have put some of them in his pocket.

Sticking one in the keyhole, he toyed around with the lock until he heard it click to unlock it. Pushing it open, he stepped inside and looked around. He could hear music playing from down the hallway and Pope shut the door quietly.

The place wasn't big and it wasn't small either. From the front door was the living room with the kitchen all the way to the left. It was a complete open floor with the kitchen, dining and living room all in one with a half wall at least dividing the kitchen. Leaning back, the hallway looked like it held at least two rooms, one for the bathroom at a bedroom. It would be to her liking as the walls were painted a very light pale blue.

It was strange that there was no noise except for the music playing and it reminded him of Julia. There was one time that he found Julia overdosing in the bathroom and it was something that had never left his mind. Feeling like that was the same scenario; he began walking towards the hallway.

Jessica had opened the door from the bathroom and had been ruffling her hair when she saw a figure standing there. "Jesus Christ!" She yelled out of being scared and surprise. "What the hell....How did you get in here?"

After seeing his sister, Pope had took a few steps back and turned around. She had just stepped out of the shower and was gripping her towel as tight as she could around her tan body. Jessica turned around, she had just stepped out of the shower and had nearly slid on the water dripping off her body into the wall when with the shock she was in.

"I was coming to see if you were alright..." Pope answered turning his head faintly to see her but not fully. "Go get dressed"

"Well obviously because I'm not standing here soaking wet in a towel talking to you" It would have been different if she just came from the beach. Rushing to her room, Jessica was trying her best to put together an outfit now that she had company. Throwing on a form fitting t-shirt and ripped jeans, Jessica came back out trying to tie her hair up in a bun.

Pope had been standing in the corner of the living room staring at her surfboards. "Can you turn the music off? It sounds like a train wreck" Glaring towards him, she reached for her phone to turn off the rap music that was playing, an old DMX song to be exact.

"Do you want anything to drink or did you just come in here to scare the hell out of me?" She asked moving to the refrigerator for a bottle of juice. He shrugged it off and grabbed one of the boards.

"Remember when you and Deran had that surf competition? It was like a gender thing and you both entered it...Wasn't this the board you used?" Pope had taken another look around the place, there was still boxes lying around but it was still put together.

"Yeah, that was the only time he ever beat me in something other than Call of Duty...Look, did you come here to scare me or borrow a surfboard?" Jessica had unscrewed the cap before taking a long drink. She realized why he was there after a moment. "Mom sent you, didn't she?"

She was the only one in the family who would refer to her as Mom. Jessica felt weird at times calling her Smurf because she didn't know anyone who called their parents by their first name. Smurf was her Mother after all but she had gone between names constantly. It caught Pope's attention because it was strange for him to hear her be referred to that. Snapping his head in her direction, he pointed to the sofa and asked if it was okay to sit.

Jessica of course told him he could so he did so before speaking. "Well she's been bitching that your car is still in the driveway" He said looking at her. "Actually, I had a few things to do so I came to ask if you wanted to go get it. I know you've been ignoring everyone"

Smirking faintly, she moved over to sit next to him. Crossing her legs, she turned to face him. "I'm over this, this family and all that's in it. Deran has more shit to worry about than me so I didn't answer the door for him. Craig could care less considering he hasn't stopped by. Baz...I can't even begin to start on that right there"

"Whatever you two do is none of my business" Pope commented holding his hands up before shaking his head faintly. "But you know that whatever comes out of it has consequences for everyone involved"

Jessica was mid drink and stared at him. "Do you think I planned on falling for him? I've liked him since I was a kid, but God forbid I ever act on the feelings...It doesn't matter. I quit, that's all that matters"

"You always quit" Pope said seriously. He didn't understand her sudden change of heart about the family. It wasn't weird that she wanted distance because that was a personal trait of hers. She usually disappeared when times get tough but nothing serious was going on.

"I get what Craig did was wrong and I probably should have said something but you need to go over there. We still got all this money from the church and she's going to do some digging. Just let me take you over there and you don't have to say a word to her. Once Smurf see's you she'll be okay with it"

Shaking her head heavily, she placed her juice on the coffee table. Jessica reached for the hair tie and pulled her hair out. Standing up, she moved away from him and began fluffing her hair out. Pope knew she wasn't going to go so he was going to do anything he could to get her over to Smurf's.

"Grab your keys and let's go. I'll drop you off and you can leave whenever. I've got things to do but at least you have your keys to leave" Jessica shook her head again then took another drink. Standing up, Pope thought of the next thing. "Lena's over there. You can distract yourself with your niece"

"I'm not going Pope. Someone can come bring me my car. I'm not in the mood to deal with her attitude lately..." She stopped talking to face him.

"I said grab your keys or I'll throw your ass in my truck"

The next thing Jessica knew, she was sitting in Pope's truck clutching her keys and bag. He wasn't going to take no for an answer and she realized that. When Pope meant something, he kept on it until it worked in his favor. She wasn't going to let him bother her over it and she just wanted to hop out at that very moment.

When he pulled into the driveway, she couldn't help but feel nervous or agitated. There were many thoughts running through Jessica's mind and the one that was screaming at her was to get out. Once Pope left, she walked towards her Jeep and debated on leaving even though she wanted to see Lena.

"So you finally show up to take back your Jeep?" Smurf had been standing in the garage leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

Jessica had opened the door from the bathroom and had been ruffling her hair when she saw a figure standing there. "Jesus Christ!" She yelled out of being scared and surprise. "What the hell....How did you get in here?"

After seeing his sister, Pope had took a few steps back and turned around. She had just stepped out of the shower and was gripping her towel as tight as she could around her tan body. Jessica turned around, she had just stepped out of the shower and had nearly slid on the water dripping off her body into the wall when with the shock she was in.

"I was coming to see if you were alright..." Pope answered turning his head faintly to see her but not fully. "Go get dressed"

"Well obviously because I'm not standing here soaking wet in a towel talking to you" It would have been different if she just came from the beach. Rushing to her room, Jessica was trying her best to put together an outfit now that she had company. Throwing on a form fitting t-shirt and ripped jeans, Jessica came back out trying to tie her hair up in a bun.

Pope had been standing in the corner of the living room staring at her surfboards. "Can you turn the music off? It sounds like a train wreck" Glaring towards him, she reached for her phone to turn off the rap music that was playing, an old DMX song to be exact.

"Do you want anything to drink or did you just come in here to scare the hell out of me?" She asked moving to the refrigerator for a bottle of juice. He shrugged it off and grabbed one of the boards.

"Remember when you and Deran had that surf competition? It was like a gender thing and you both entered it...Wasn't this the board you used?" Pope had taken another look around the place, there was still boxes lying around but it was still put together.

"Yeah, that was the only time he ever beat me in something other than Call of Duty...Look, did you come here to scare me or borrow a surfboard?" Jessica had unscrewed the cap before taking a long drink. She realized why he was there after a moment. "Mom sent you, didn't she?"

She was the only one in the family who would refer to her as Mom. Jessica felt weird at times calling her Smurf because she didn't know anyone who called their parents by their first name. Smurf was her Mother after all but she had gone between names constantly. It caught Pope's attention because it was strange for him to hear her be referred to that. Snapping his head in her direction, he pointed to the sofa and asked if it was okay to sit.

Jessica of course told him he could so he did so before speaking. "Well she's been bitching that your car is still in the driveway" He said looking at her. "Actually, I had a few things to do so I came to ask if you wanted to go get it. I know you've been ignoring everyone"

Smirking faintly, she moved over to sit next to him. Crossing her legs, she turned to face him. "I'm over this, this family and all that's in it. Deran has more shit to worry about than me so I didn't answer the door for him. Craig could care less considering he hasn't stopped by. Baz...I can't even begin to start on that right there"

"Whatever you two do is none of my business" Pope commented holding his hands up before shaking his head faintly. "But you know that whatever comes out of it has consequences for everyone involved"

Jessica was mid drink and stared at him. "Do you think I planned on falling for him? I've liked him since I was a kid, but God forbid I ever act on the feelings...It doesn't matter. I quit, that's all that matters"

"You always quit" Pope said seriously. He didn't understand her sudden change of heart about the family. It wasn't weird that she wanted distance because that was a personal trait of hers. She usually disappeared when times get tough but nothing serious was going on.

"I get what Craig did was wrong and I probably should have said something but you need to go over there. We still got all this money from the church and she's going to do some digging. Just let me take you over there and you don't have to say a word to her. Once Smurf see's you she'll be okay with it"

Shaking her head heavily, she placed her juice on the coffee table. Jessica reached for the hair tie and pulled her hair out. Standing up, she moved away from him and began fluffing her hair out. Pope knew she wasn't going to go so he was going to do anything he could to get her over to Smurf's.

"Grab your keys and let's go. I'll drop you off and you can leave whenever. I've got things to do but at least you have your keys to leave" Jessica shook her head again then took another drink. Standing up, Pope thought of the next thing. "Lena's over there. You can distract yourself with your niece"

"I'm not going Pope. Someone can come bring me my car. I'm not in the mood to deal with her attitude lately..." She stopped talking to face him.

"I said grab your keys or I'll throw your ass in my truck"

The next thing Jessica knew, she was sitting in Pope's truck clutching her keys and bag. He wasn't going to take no for an answer and she realized that. When Pope meant something, he kept on it until it worked in his favor. She wasn't going to let him bother her over it and she just wanted to hop out at that very moment.

When he pulled into the driveway, she couldn't help but feel nervous or agitated. There were many thoughts running through Jessica's mind and the one that was screaming at her was to get out. Once Pope left, she walked towards her Jeep and debated on leaving even though she wanted to see Lena.

"So you finally show up to take back your Jeep?" Smurf had been standing in the garage leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Nothing is going on, why did you jump on him last night? You know what he went through as a kid, why did you have the need to rub it in his face?" She shot back but in a calm tone.

"Baz seems to think he can call all the shots now and I know about the job on the church. He should have ran the idea by me first before jumping into it. J's leg is torn up pretty bad and I'm not happy about that"

"Is J the favorite now? I mean, you hated Julia but this kid seems to have the heart of gold" Jessica asked wondering if that was the big problem to begin with.

It made Smurf cock her head sharply towards her. It wasn't a secret that J was being up for grabs and he was almost in a tug of war between her and her sons. That was the majority of the tension in the house and Jessica knew that was it. The way she looked and spoke to him as if he was a precious baby, it was quite sickening.

"I don't play favorites in this family, you know that. I wish you would have picked up your phone the night of their job, J probably wouldn't have had an infection that bad if you did"

Rolling her eyes at the remark, Jessica took a long drink to cover it up. She actually didn't care if she saw it. Smurf's daughters were never her favorites and she played all of them as one behind their backs. She kicked her feet a little debating on speaking back, she liked the silence.

"Well I was trying to get my apartment ready, I just assumed they were having a party as often as my phone went off" It was a lie but she wouldn't tell her that. She didn't know J was hurt because she just threw off the calls and texts but she thought it was because they needed her help. After realizing how big the church was, Jessica didn't want to do it.

"He told me that you did a good job with it though, maybe I should have thanked you sooner for your hard work" Smurf walked over towards her daughter and almost stood in front of her. "He did seem a bit shaken when he came back out though, are you sure you were just getting a glass of water?"

Lifting her eyes from the coffee mug, Jessica was holding the best poker face she could. "I came in for a glass; I didn't know you moved a variety of things on the shelf and couldn't find them. Baz came in, told me where they were and went out to his car. I then helped J and that was it"

Raising the cup to her mouth, Smurf smiled slowly and patted her on the leg. Jessica wasn't sure if she realized she was lying but she did her best she could to cover it up. After finishing what tea was left, she looked up towards the TV screen that housed the security cameras. Squinting, Jessica leaned forward before pointing towards it. "Did you invite someone here?"

"No, it could be Craig stopping by to pick up some of his clothes he left here"

"That doesn't look an ounce like Craig...Who is that?" Jessica questioned setting the mug down and hopping off the counter when Smurf turned around.

Her Mother hadn't said anything but made her way to the patio in strides. She followed right behind her wanting to see as well who it was. No one showed up to the Cody home unannounced especially when Smurf was around. The man had slowly came to a halt when he saw her coming forward and Jessica hung back in the garage.

"Shit...You don't look a day different from last I saw you. Same house, same look, nothing changes with her, does it?"

Smurf glanced behind her to see how far back Jessica was out of curiosity. Turning back around, she crossed her arms and stared the man down. "What are you doing here?" She hadn't mentioned his name.

"I got some business to take care of and it involves you" He spoke then shifted a little to his right to see who or what she was looking at. "No kidding...You sure grew up. How's it going?"

Jessica had shifted her eyes between them then walked forward herself. She didn't know who he was though he looked around her age. He seemed familiar in the face but she couldn't exactly put a finger on it. "Hey..." She said awkwardly then looked towards Smurf.

"It seems like Javi decided to crawl back around for some shady business deal that I really don't want a part of" She commented not taking her eyes off of him.

"Javi?" Jessica looked at her then back to him. "Oh my God, I didn't even recognize you!" She couldn't help but launch herself forward to hug him. Javi smirked a little keeping his eyes on Smurf while hugging her back as well. "You look so much better with hair; I don't like this new look"

He had laughed faintly while she pulled away. Smurf was easily irritated at the situation and it showed faintly on her face. She was good at keeping her composure. "Jess, why don't you go back inside for a while?"

Feeling confused, she looked between the two of them. Back in the day Jessica and Javi had dated for close to a year when they were around their early twenties. It was a very simple relationship but Smurf of course didn't like what transpired. The two parted on good terms but there was that common denominator between them.

"Grandma, when is Daddy coming back?" Lena had been slowly approaching them from in the garage and all of them turned their attention to her. She had been shy so she stayed more in the shadows.

Smurf took a glance at her wrist as it was only in the early afternoon. It was a Saturday which meant no school and Pope had things to do. Baz was nowhere present and she wasn't sure what to answer.

"Cute kid, Is she yours?" Javi asked glancing at Jessica before looking towards Lena.

Shaking her head no, Jessica walked back over towards the garage in which Smurf replied, "Baz's...Jessica why don't you take Lena out for some ice cream for a little while?"

It was clear that she was trying to get her out of the home and away from the two of them. Whatever was going on wasn't good but Jessica didn't know what it was. She never had a problem with Javi and she never would.

"Um...Sure. We never got to do that girl's day as planned, right?" Lena's face had lit up with excitement. Picking her up, Jessica held onto her and took her to the jeep. Helping her in, she looked towards them for a second. "When should I bring her back or should I call him?" Her voice was filled with confusion.

"I'll let you know, Javi and I have some catching up to do"


	11. The Trouble with Baz Blackwell is...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica babysits Lena

Pope had planned on going to his not so secret church group until he got a call from Baz. He didn't know exactly why they were meeting but he changed his plans for the night. They had met at a bar in town and now he didn't know why they didn't just go to Deran's.

The two had been sitting at a table in the middle of the room. The place was filled to a degree but wasn't overcrowded. That was probably the reason Baz picked it because Pope wouldn't want to sit around a group of people. "Why are we even here?" Pope asked leaning back in his seat.

"I can't hang out with my brother?" Baz commented. "We hardly see each other because of Smurf and the tension between everyone so I thought we could just hang out. Look, if you had other plans, I get it"

"I did but I changed them for you" Pope had glanced at the waitress who brought them their drinks before continuing on. "The church group meets a couple days a week so it's fine"

He had been reaching for his beer but did so slowly. Baz didn't realize that he had been going back there because it had slipped his mind about Amy. After the church heist was over and done with, he thought Pope stopped hanging around there because it would obviously be stupid to keep going back. Baz also didn't know he was really going to church groups, he had thought it was a cover for something but the look on Pope's face was serious.

"And how's that going for you?" Getting a famous Pope glare, Baz threw his hands up with a faint laugh. "All I asked was how that church thing was working for you man, I didn't mean it any other way"

"It's fine…It helps me bring peace with the various problems I have in my life" It was a simple and short answer but Pope was always answered like that when he didn't want anyone to know anything.

"You still seeing that blonde chick or whatever? She's pretty cute" He was only joking on the last part because he wouldn't ever date someone like that. He liked women who could hold their ground, challenge anyone and on top of it be good in bed. Amy didn't look like the type.

His older brother had been drinking his own beer and debated on answering him. He didn't want anyone in the family to know but they all already saw and met her. Smurf would be the biggest problem and that was why he wanted to keep it quiet. "Her name is Amy and yeah, she's the one that runs the group"

Baz had been looking past Pope for a moment before turning back to him. "I'm not judging you or anything; I've just never really saw you with anyone. I'm not counting the crush on Cath or anything but go for it…Does Smurf know?"

Shaking his head heavily he answered, "No so why don't we keep it that way…Don't you have to pick up Lena tonight?"

He had been looking past him again which made glance around confused on what she was doing. "Yeah but Smurf said she's keeping her for the night so I don't have to worry about it…Those two over there keeping looking here, the blonde and brunette"

"Just because she's with Smurf doesn't mean anything, she needs her Father…" He had stopped talking when he spoke up so Pope turned completely around to see who he was talking about. Narrowing his eyes, he turned back around right as Baz spoke.

"Take your pick. The blonde who looks like a Sarah or the brunette who is some sort of J name like Jennifer"

Pope had been taken back a little by his remark. Sure Baz was a cheater considering he had still seen Lucy on the side while dating Catherine but once a cheater, always a cheater. He wasn't like his brothers especially Craig who would jump on the chance and he was starting to get serious with Amy. Besides that, a familiar blonde had popped into his head which bothered him.

"Speaking of names that start with J, what about Jessica?" He asked ignoring him.

Baz had been in the middle of a drink waiting him to answer. He shifted in his seat better to see him then spoke, "What about Jess?" He asked simply.

Still feeling somewhat out of loop, Pope was now officially confused. "I thought you two were…Whatever you two are doing. It's obvious to all of us, well most of us anyway"

It would be walking a thin line talking to Pope. The fact of the matter was Jessica and Pope were half siblings and her older brother. With Julia it was a bit different because the two of them were close. Pope loved his sister and would do anything for her but they weren't exactly close. They had two completely different personalities but they still would guard each other to death. Baz wanted to be careful of his words to not anger Pope.

"It's not even anything. Nothing's going to come out of it if Smurf's around. Besides, it's not even a big deal, she won't find out unless one of us say something" He had given him a look and that made Pope look away.

Standing up from his seat, Baz grabbed his beer and began making his way towards the two women. Pope had sat there silently annoyed and honestly just lost in his thoughts. It wasn't going to be fair to her and he wouldn't say anything because he felt it wasn't his place. Jessica wasn't stupid though, she'd do her digging.

"Thank you for the ice cream, chocolate is my favorite" Lena had said once Jessica got the door open to Baz's house.

She had to act like Pope earlier and use her picking lock technique to get inside since she didn't have a key. She really wasn't sure where she should have taken Lena but it was her house so she didn't go to Smurf's.

"My favorite is mint with chocolate chips, never been a fan of chocolate though" She had been in the process of turning on a few lights while Lena plopped down on the couch.

It was been a long, fun and interesting day for the both of them. She had taken her niece to the park, then the beach, they ended up getting lunch on the pier which then turned into ice cream and finally back home. Jessica didn't realize how exhausting it was and she hoped Baz was home but the house was completely silent.

"How can you hate chocolate? That's Uncle Pope's favorite, we always get it before we go to church"

That made Jessica pause with a faint laugh. "No one in the family liked mint except me and your dad. Grandma Smurf used to buy us ice cream but we had to hurry up and eat it before everyone else found out because she only bought like vanilla all the time but we sometimes got treated"

Tossing their bags to the corner by the TV, she made her way to the kitchen. Jessica had no choice but to make Lena dinner since she broke the rule of dessert before actual food. Searching around, it wasn't going to be hard to whip up something since she enjoyed cooking. She just didn't know what was in the house that she could work with.

"Why don't you take a bath while I get dinner started? I'll call your Dad to see where he is and we can go from there?"

Lena nodded, got up and began making her way towards the bathroom. "Can you help me? What if I make the water too hot?"

It was now time for Jessica to nod and help her into the bath. The reason she had been good with her and had an easy time was because of Deran. Since he was her younger brother, she used watch over him as any big sister would do. Even if she fell out from the family or had her drug habits kick back up, she still made time to check on him.

After helping her with the bath, Jessica typed the number on her phone and placed it on the counter. She began pulling out ingredients and listened to the other line keep ringing. Jessica knew for a fact that he wasn't going to answer. "Um, you better call me back Baz because I broke in your house and I'm taking care of your child. Where the hell are you?"

Everything was going smoothly but she just didn't plan on having Lena all day long. She wasn't sure what to do so now she started think she should call Pope. It was her brothers' responsibly to take care of her either so it was time to just worry about getting dinner made.

"When is Daddy coming home?" Lena asked fresh faced and in pajamas. She struggled getting onto the stool at the counter but once she got up she began watching her Aunt.

"That's a pretty good question because I've been wondering that myself" She said looking around for plates. Jessica made something simple such as a chicken pasta dish and knew it was something a kid would eat. Piling it onto the plate, she handed it to her before getting Lena a drink and utensils.

She eager dug into but paused looking around. Jessica had been making herself a plate and leaned up against the small island in the kitchen. She wanted to keep her eyes on the front door to see if he was going to come home. It was silent for a few minutes. "So Uncle Pope has been taking you to church and what not I see, are you having fun with him?"

"Yeah he's always taking me places and getting me ice cream…" Lena had trailed off for a second and just stared at her.

Jessica had been taking a drink but knew there was a pair of eyes on her. Setting her drink down, she looked at the plate then back at the girl. "What's wrong? Do you miss your Mom and Dad?" It was just a guess that she assumed was the answer.

Nodding, she picked her fork back up and began to eat again. Sighing, she set her things down and stepped towards the counter in front of her. "You know, I didn't have a Dad growing up. I had Grandma Smurf and your Uncles but I didn't know what it was like to grow up with one…" She stopped realizing that she was going through the same thing. "How about we finish this, watch some cartoons, color in one of your books and I'll get you to bed"

The next morning Baz had gotten over his fling he had the night before. The blonde he named Sarah ended up turning into an ice queen and nothing really came out of it. IT was time to go to Smurf's in order to pick up his daughter.

He didn't have much on his mind walking into her home but he had to prepare himself. He figured that she was going to give him a hard time because of Lena so he wanted to stay in and out of line with her.

"Smurf, are you here?" He called out after closing the front door and glancing into the living room. He expected Lena to be watching TV so he thought maybe she took her out for something. Moving into the kitchen, he saw her walking into the kitchen with her arms crossed. "What did I do now? Where's Lena?"

Smurf had been walking over to the coffee pot without answering and began to pour herself a cup. "She's not here" She answered him simply before facing him.

"What do you mean she's not here? Did Pope take her to the beach again or something?" Baz pulled his phone out to check the time; it was only going on ten in the morning.

"She's with your sister at your house. You didn't get her phone call?" She questioned and that made him look up from his phone. He rubbed the back of his neck slowly. "Well she came over here yesterday and I had her take your daughter because Javi showed back up.

"Javi? Why is he coming around here now?" He asked her wanting to move the conversation that way and because he was curious.

She hadn't answered him and instead walked closer towards the sink. Smurf had been keeping a weird distance from him than usual and that meant she was pissed at him for some reason. It could have been a variety of things with Baz but there were ones right in front of him.

"You need to answer your phone more often because your sister wasn't planning on babysitting her all night, you know that right?"

Shrugging faintly he shook his head, "Why do you keep saying my sister and I know I do. I didn't even know you didn't have her but I had things to take care of"

"She is your sister, isn't she?" Smurf asked then turned around to face him. "I mean, you two were brought up together and raised that way. I don't see an issue unless you do?"

That was the thing with Smurf; no one could just have an honest conversation with her. It was either her making comments to get information or just to push someone's buttons. She had stared at him intently then raised her eyebrow for a response.

Baz wasn't stupid as she had done the same thing when Julia was alive. She had wanted them to be brother and sister even though the two of them started to develop feelings for one another. They didn't want it but they had to fall in line with Smurf. When he and Jessica slept together for the first time, it was a mutual decision. Julia had been so caught up in drugs that Baz was less of a priority whereas he thought of her more often. Jessica was having a hard time and just turned to him due to him listening and being the most logical out of he, Pope and Craig.

When Smurf took it upon herself to tell Julia, she ended up getting into a rage which led to them being kicked out. Jessica had stayed with a couple friends before living at times on the streets and Julia's whereabouts unknown. Baz felt guilty over what happened and the next thing they knew, she came back with a child named Joshua. That was also the first time that Jessica really tried anything and that started her addiction at the time.

"This isn't going to become another Julia situation I hope. Cath is still missing and your priorities should be focused on finding the mother of your child, not trying to tear this family apart again. I mean, you did cause it the first time"

Blinking, he watched her move past him and over to the sitting room. She began to clean up after Craig stayed the night and decided to make a mess as usual. Baz was prepared to say something but he wasn't willing to get into a fight so earlier. It took him a moment to decide on it and it came to a decision of opening his mouth.

"Why didn't you kick me out then? They are your daughters and you instead kept me around. Julia comes back with a baby how many years later and Jess is so wrapped in coke that she's out of her mind. Don't question my actions when you weren't even holding up being a mother"

Turning sharply on her heel, she wasn't expecting that at all. Tossing the pillow back onto the couch, she scoffed faintly and watched him again. "I'm sorry, but didn't I save you from your Father beating the shit out of you every night? I gave you a home, a family and everything you ever wanted. Now you want to complain about me raising you? You knew better than to mess with them when I told you time and time again. Julia didn't remember because she was high all the time and Jessica just turned into a teenager. They had everything and decided to go against my rules and they paid for it"

"I came here for Lena, not into some argument of the past" Baz said then took a deep breath. Every time he was around Smurf it had ended up in a huge argument and frankly he was getting tired of it. Sighing heavily, he couldn't figure out something to say.

"You didn't learn your lesson the first time so why should I expect you to now?" Smurf question after watching him start to walk away. "She's not good for you and you know that. How long until she gets her fix and tosses you to the side, hm?"

"Goodbye Smurf, I'll have Lena come back when I say she can" Going towards the front door, he really wanted to get out because his head was starting to pound. It was going to be a nightmare once he got home and he'd rather face Jessica because she wasn't going to throw anything in his face.

"Baz?" She called out and he turned slightly to face her. "She's not going to be the stepmother to your daughter"

Jessica had been going through Lena's clothes to figure out an outfit for her. They had been going through her things but Lena wasn't willing to wear anything she was choosing. "Okay, what about this cute little romper thing?" She asked but her niece shook her head. "C'mon kid work with me here. I'm out of loop here and I'm trying"

"I want to wear my shirt with the teddy bear on it" She commented sitting on the bed.

"Okay, where is that?" Jessica asked then caught on it was at Smurf's. A good chunk of her clothes were over there and she had no idea. Sighing, she placed the dress down and stood up. "Well when your Dad or Uncle get here I'm sure you can wear your shirt. I have to clean up the kitchen so just stay in your pajamas and the problem will be solved hopefully by noon"

It was frustrating for her because she hadn't taken care of a kid in so long. The last time she actually did was when she babysat J and he wasn't as difficult as Lena. It wasn't that she was that bad, it was the fact that Jessica knew how sad she was. There were times that she picked up on and with Baz being gone didn't help. Moving back out into the kitchen, she had made them breakfast but didn't even eat herself as she was worried on getting Lena taken care of.

She had made only eggs and French toast but right now that sounded like a masterpiece to her. Making a plate, Jessica balanced eating and cleaning everything up. Baz could see her through the door and braced himself before stepping inside. Glancing at the door, she didn't say anything but glared in his direction. Jessica continued what she was doing and he walked over to her.

"I know you're pissed at me because Smurf already told me that you called and everything. I was out with Pope and then I had some things to take care of" He said glancing into Lena's room as she was already running out to see him. She was clearly excited and jumped forward to hug him. Baz had asked her to go play in her room for a few minutes while he talked to Jessica. "Am I getting the silent treatment now? Are those my clothes?"

Jessica had been wiping her hands in a towel and glanced down at herself. "Yeah, I took a pair of your sweatpants and a t-shirt because I didn't bring an overnight bag with me. The least you could have done was call me" Crossing her arms, she leaned against the sink.

Baz had been looking her over then spoke, "Wear them more often, you look good in my clothes" He joked but she didn't find it funny. "Okay, I will. I got caught up in something and didn't realize how much time went by"

Leaning back towards Lena's room, he wanted to make sure she wasn't going to pop out but she was instead playing with her dollhouse. Moving forward, he placed his hands on her hips but she tried pushing them off of her.

"I'm not Catherine Baz. You could fool around on her all you wanted but I'm not oblivious" He had given her a look of surprise for a moment. "You might want to take a shower because you smell like perfume and if it's not mine I don't care"

Squirming out from his grip, Baz reached for her wrist but she tugged away. "Are you jealous?" He asked finding it amused.

Jessica had moved over to the couch where she slept last night to fold the blanket and her clothes. "I'm not jealous; you just need to let people know you're going to sleep with a girl while they are taking care of your child"

Shaking his head with a laugh, he found it hilarious. "That's someone's reply when they are guilty. Admit it, you are jealous and that's why I'm getting the cold shoulder"

Mocking a fake laugh at him, she wasn't going to admit that she was. It was only in the slightest sense but it did bother her. She wasn't going to be made out a fool and Jessica wasn't going to stay there taking care of Lena while he went off and did that like Catherine did. "Go take your damn shower"

He disappeared after a few minutes of playing around with her and Jessica had to check on Lena. That was rudely interrupted with a knock at the front door. She had believed it to be Pope since he had been taking care of her lately. Putting a doll down, Jessica got up and opened the door much to her surprise.

"Oh, hello…" She spoke softly but with curiosity in her voice.

The female had stared back at her equally in surprise. "Um…Is Baz home?" She had looked Jessica up and down taking in a few things herself.

"He's in the shower but you're welcome to come in" She thought it was the girl that he had just slept with and figured she should just step inside.

The brunette had offered a faint smile and walked inside of the Blackwell home. Glancing around, she didn't have any idea who she was and she felt very uncomfortable. "I'm Lucy…"

Closing the door, she crossed her arms and walked back over to her clothes. "I'm Jessica, I don't think we've met before, have we?"

"You're Baz's sister right?" Lucy asked and got confirmation. She thought that it was another woman that Baz was seeing but with her being his sister that was proven wrong or at least she thought. "No, I live down in Mexico and I'm just here for a visit before going back home"

Nodding, she told her that she would go get him and she waited until she heard the water turn off. Whipping the door open, he had just been getting out and nearly stumbled when he saw her. "There's a woman here to see you"

After getting dressed and ready, Baz stepped out into the living room where he saw Jessica and Lucy in awkward silence. Lucy's face had lit up when she saw him and she walked over to give him a hug and a kiss.

Jessica watched quietly then quickly grabbed her clothes and moved past them for her keys that were lying on the kitchen counter. It was best to just leave because she wasn't going to be stuck in this conversation. Stepping toward the door, she heard Baz call out to her.

"Can you take Lena with you?"

Pausing at the thought, she looked at him. "Are you serious? I just took care of her all day yesterday, all night and this morning. I have to go to the clinic; I have to go grocery shopping among other things"

"So take her with you. I've got some things to do and I'll be here tonight so just bring her back then. I promise I'll make it up to you"

"She's not my responsibility Baz, she's your child and not mine" Jessica stopped talking when Lena came out from her bedroom and stared down Lucy. She had believed it to be Cath but there was now disappointment that read on her face. "Lena, get some of your things and I'll take you to Grandma Smurf's for your clothes"

Hesitating, she did what she asked and Jessica told her to go ahead and climb into her jeep. Seething inside, she was furious but not enough to cause a scene in front of another girl that Baz slept with.

"Word of advice, don't let her grow up without a Father. You see how well I turned out without one and she needs you more than ever. Stop pawning her off on all of us and become a damn parent already"

Storming out, Lucy looked between the door and Baz. He on the other hand remembered what Smurf had told him earlier about her not wanting to be a stepmother. He didn't want to admit it but maybe for once she had been telling the truth.


	12. Lena and the Babysitters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica is watching Lena again

Smurf had gone Javi yesterday in order to figure out exactly what he wanted. She didn't want to but it seemed as if he was starting to dig up old wounds. After hearing about Manny's passing, Smurf figured that it was going to come down to something. Whether it ended with her or involved the family, there was something to figure out.

If a war was brewing she would come out of the winning end no matter what it cost. She promised to pay him whatever he wanted because she honestly didn't believe the tapes that he was talking about. Manny would have been filled with drugs which would make the recording a possible lie but he wasn't taking the risk. She reached out to Craig's Father but began to keep mostly everything under wrap. J had knew a little bit about it as Smurf had taken him on a little adventure but he was still in the dark.

Smurf had been sitting on one of the patio chairs thinking a lot of things over. She wanted her children to go on a little job to prove their loyalty to her and she was trying to think of the bet way to go. She would do whatever it took to get them in on it but it was only a matter of time to put that in motion. Smurf thinking had been rudely interrupted when she heard strides coming towards her.

"You can't keep showing up here Javi..." Smurf said turning her attention to the young man who stood far away from her.

Javi cracked his neck faintly and kept his hands tucked in his pockets. He still had a lot to discuss with her but she seemed to be avoiding it. "You gonna call the cops on me?" He asked pulling one of the chairs out to sit down. "We need to talk"

"We had a pretty good discussion last time we spoke so I don't see a reason to"

He knew that she was going to shrug everything off but he was prepared for it. "You know Manny said some pretty interesting things while on his death bed. You know all about that right?"

Leaning back, she was playing it coolly. "He's dead Javi; there is no reason to keep bringing up old wounds"

Smurf had her reasons for wanting to avoid all of his questions. She had been responsible for his Father's death and she did kick him out when he had no one else. Javi only wanted money and to make her realize the mistakes that she had made. At least that was what her mind was trying to trick her into but Javi wanted to make her pay any way he could.

It was silent for a little while until Javi spoke. "So you know about the tapes then?"

"What tapes?" Smurf asked blinking behind her sunglasses.

Knowing it would catch her off guard, Javi had wanted to say it randomly out of the blue on purpose. It would be nice to hold something against her that would eat her alive. "The tapes that Manny left behind. He said everything that happened when you all worked together...Including the death of my Dad. Funny isn't it? I was left in the dark about it all until now"

Standing up slowly, Smurf felt completely baffled by the revelation but could keep a poker face. It wasn't going to matter much to her anyway. "I don't see what's funny about it Javi, there's no truth to any of that"

"Oh no?" He stood up as well and got face to face with her. Javi reached her sunglasses and pulled them away to look her right in the eye. "You didn't kill my Dad?"

"You're going to believe a guy who was on his deathbed talking to some stupid recorder while high out of his mind? I've been there with Jessica before and all it is is nonsense"

He narrowed his eyes at her remark and didn't say anything. Javi walked past her and behind her slowly. Leaning forward, he took a breath by her neck and she turned faintly to see him.

"You smell exactly the same way you did back then..." Smurf launched herself forward to get away from him and to face him again.

"What the hell do you want? Money, is that it? Whatever you want I can give you. Name your price"

"Grandma Smurf!" Lena called out as she and Jessica were coming into the patio from the back gate. She had ran over to her Grandmother but hid behind her like before.

"I want three hundred thousand...If you don't give it to me you'll be seeing me real soon" Tossing the sunglasses onto the chair, Javi glanced at Lena before giving a stern look to Smurf.

Stepping away from her, he walked over towards Jessica and gave her a look over. She paused at the thought but moved inside. Smurf had brought Lena in as well. "She wanted to wear her favorite shirt which she said is here"

Jessica had faintly sat on one the kitchen stools where she looked towards her granddaughter. Lena had agreed and asked if it was okay to go through her clothes in order to find it. Smurf said she would help her find it leaving her daughter to sit in silence. She reappeared with Lena still in her room.

"Decide to change your wardrobe?" She asked glancing at Jessica who had forgot she still had Baz's clothes on.

"Look, I had to spend the night taking care of Lena and I didn't have a change of clothes so I had no choice but to wear this. Don't worry; I've got her for the entire day so whatever you have planned…"

"Why didn't you wear Cath's? I have nothing planned so you can leave her here; Baz put you on babysitting duty now?"

That first part of the sentence made Jessica not want to answer her. There would be no way in hell that she would wear Catherine's clothes especially with her missing. That would make no sense in any way shape or form. She thought to herself "Yeah, I'm going to wear her clothes alright. I'm wearing your missing girlfriend's clothes in your house, taking care of your kid while I'm trying to hook up with you". Jessica shook her head faintly but moved on.

"What's with Javi coming around? I don't remember him coming around here even when we dated"

With that piece of information being brought back into her mind, Smurf had a whole idea already forming. "How close are you to Javi?" She questioned placing her elbows on the counter and leaning towards her.

Making a confused face, Jessica shook her head one more. "Not close, we dated when we were like twenty or something, that's the first time I saw him in like ten years…What's going on?"

Jessica knew it had to be some kind of trouble if she was asking how long has it been since she saw him. Smurf wanted something but she didn't know exactly what she needed. She leaned back momentarily and spoke, "If I needed to get something from Javi, would you be willing to get it for me?"

After telling her Mother no to her strange request, it was time to head back to her own apartment. She needed a fresh change of clothes and then it would be time to take Lena to the park and then grocery shopping. Jessica felt it was going to be one of those long days but at least things were running smoothly.

The park on the beach was Lena's favorite place to play because most of her friends from school would go there. It was close to everything within Oceanside and had a beautiful view of the ocean so Jessica had no complaints going. Sitting down on one of the benches, she brought her legs up and put her sunglasses on as the sun was beaming down on her. It was now her own quiet time so she pulled a paperback from her beach bag and began to read it.

"Mind if I join you? You look like you could use some company" Javi had returned which had made her jump slightly. He laughed faintly as she looked around. "Sorry if I scared you, I thought you heard me coming up"

Shaking her head lightly, she began to move over but Javi was already taking no for an answer. It wasn't much of a problem to her but she remembered the conversation she had with Smurf hours ago.

"You're looking good lately..." He said eyeing her up like before.

Pausing, she closed her book and shoved it back into her bag. "I always look good, you just don't remember" Jessica joked around then focused her attention on the children who were playing in the park. "What's with you having no hair? You look cuter with it"

"I got older so I decided to change my look up. You have all these tattoos so what are you talking about?"

She could feel his eyes on her again and it was making her a little curious. After going back to her apartment and occupying Lena with something, Jessica decided to wear something that always made her feel good. It was a white onesie with light blue pants on top of it. It was a very beachy look, especially with her hair down and her tan glowing. Most of her tattoos were on display and it took her a moment to remember that she only had two when they dated.

"Is that your kid with Baz?" He asked now moving his eyes away from her. Javi knew it wasn't as Smurf had told him yesterday but he was asking anyway.

Raising an eyebrow she answered, "No that's his kid with his girlfriend...I'm not about to have a baby with my brother. I know you know how dysfunctional this family is and that isn't on my list any time soon"

That had Javi smirk a little but he knew better. It was the partial truth for Jessica however though it came down to Lena. He wasn't going to know the extent of their relationship but it was right on the child part. She wasn't willing to even have a baby nor with it be the Father of the year. Jessica was smarter than that and Baz was a prime example of not being a fit parent. She wasn't near it either as often as she fell off the wagon but it was what it was.

"So what did you do, follow me here? I mean you have no kid to watch so I know for a fact you want to talk to me about something"

"I didn't know it was a crime to catch up with someone...I wanted to know how you were doing. You were going to rehab for the second time last I knew and I wanted to see for myself"

Once again Jessica wasn't stupid and knew that wasn't what he wanted. Smurf had asked her to get close to Javi in order to rip those recordings out from underneath him. She told her Mother that she wasn't getting pulled into something that wasn't her mess and refused to do so. He had a whole planned in his head that he was executing and it wasn't going to be easy...At least for anyone but him.

"I'm fine, I just got out again but I'm still standing, that is all that matters" Jessica reached for her phone to check the time because she had to still go to the store.

"Going somewhere?" Javi asked focusing all of his attention back on her for a moment. He looked up and down the beach but she had been collecting her things.

Nodding, she answered him, "Yeah I gotta get shopping and give Lena back over t Baz in a few hours...It's been nice seeing you again"

Jessica had waved in Lena's direction to tell her it was time to go but she stopped in the middle of it. Something had felt off for a weird reason and she couldn't place her finger on what. Looking through the crowd made up of mothers and children, there was at least once man sitting on a bench to her far left. One of the kids could have been his but none of them had resembled him. Lena looked more like Catherine than Baz so it was a bad assumption but there was something that still was unnerving to her.

"Come on Lena, we have to go get some groceries and then some ice cream as usual" She called out and slung her bag over her shoulder. Javi had placed his hand on her upper arm with a pretty good grip which made her turn to see him.

"I want something from Smurf and I don't know if she's willing to hand it over" There was a darker tone in his voice and a different look on his face.

"Whatever issue you have is with her and not with me Javi. Let go of my arm"

"Or what? What are you going to do about it? I want my money"

Pulling her arm back, her bag went flying onto the ground spilling everything that was inside of it out. Huffing, Jessica ignored him and bent down to pick up her belongings. Javi looked towards everyone again to see if anyone caught it then he bent down as well to help her.

"You tell your lying bitch of a Mother that I want my money and I'm going to take things away little by little until I get it"

She had caught his gaze but didn't say anything. Jessica rushed to throw everything in her bag and get Lena out of there. Her gut feeling was right and it needed to be fulfilled.

After her strange encounter with Javi, Jessica wanted to get Lena home quickly. She felt that she had to take her grocery shopping because she still didn't want to leave her at Smurf's. Baz had texted her asking her not to take her there because he was having problems with her as usual. She also didn't want to send her there just in case Javi went back there. She ended up having to go between the store and her apartment but now night began falling.

After an having the entire day for the two girls, it was time for Jessica to retire for the night and take her back to Baz's but there was one problem...

She had no choice but to park her car down the street from his house and pick Lena up. Jessica maneuvered through some sidewalks trying to lose the suspicious man from before. It occurred to her that Javi must have put someone on watch not only on her but the rest of the family as well. He probably already knew where Baz lived but she had her niece to watch over for now.

Sneaking into the house from the back door, Jessica called out to tell him they were back and that she needed to talk to him. Instead she was faced with Pope sitting on the couch with perfect posture.

"Where is Baz at?" She asked which prompted him to turn around.

"I don't know, you tell me" He answered before standing up to greet Lena.

Jessica asked her if she wouldn't mind watching some TV while she spoke to her brother. She was beyond furious and it was easily read on her face because Baz promised he'd be back.

Lena was excited to watch one of her favorite shows so she hopped over to the couch while Pope walked over and sat on one of the stools. Jessica took her place behind the counter and rubbed her head slowly.

"She's not giving you a hard time is she? Lena does fine with me and I can talk to her if you want"

She shook her head slowly. "No, our idiot brother said he'd be here tonight and instead he's off sleeping with another girl while we sit here and take care of his daughter"

There was a lot trying to process through her mind and Pope couldn't deny what she said. He figured that she found out about last night but he didn't know exactly who the woman was she was referring to. It was getting old of him having to cover for Baz but enjoyed the company that his niece brought him especially since no one knows about Catherine's strange disappearance.

"Anyway, Javi is up to something and I swear to you that someone was following me all day since I took her to the park" She said lowly then checked to make sure Lena was watching TV.

That made Pope look as well before facing her with a confused and lost expression. "Javi? That kid Smurf watched over for a couple of months? Why is he hanging around?"

Jessica now had no choice but to have to explain everything from the moment she first saw him to Smurf's request and now the park incident. It trouble Pope as he would do anything for his family especially his niece. He wasn't worried much about Smurf but for the other females in the Cody bunch as well. As they were quietly discussing everything, Baz walked in the front door, paused for a second after seeing them but went to his room without a hello.

"Oh look who finally decided to show up…" Pope called out waiting for him to step back out.

The way Baz was carrying himself spoke volumes and they both knew that something had gone on. He was clearly furious about something and neither one of them cared enough to ask. The Cody siblings had to fill him in on the situation going on but he wasn't going to be in the mood to hear it.

"What's your problem? Didn't get laid like you wanted to?" Jessica questioned with an amused facial expression. Baz had given her a glare which made her lean back and cross her arms. "You said you were going to be here once I dropped her off"

"I'm here now so what is the problem?" He said with a clear attitude in his voice.

Pope kept quiet and instead checked on Lena once again. She had been turning the volume up on the TV and he was just hoping she was going to ignore whatever was going on. It looked like the two were going to get into some sort of heated argument.

"My problem is I have an issue on my hands and involves you, I, your daughter and everyone in this family and you aren't even here. What did she do? Tell you how boring you were in bed?" She wondered knowing it stemmed from Lucy but couldn't help but joke either.

With Lucy arriving from Mexico that had taken Baz completely off guard as she didn't say a word she was coming. She questioned him on Catherine and where she was. Obviously Lucy didn't take it kindly that he was still tied down to her and then there was the matter of meeting Jessica this morning was annoying to her. She believed something was up but Baz wouldn't say if anything was. He was frustrated that she giving him up easily until he figured out what it was that he exactly wanted.

Baz was used to getting his way and it wasn't going in his favor. It had been a long day between the two of them and he didn't want Pope or Jessica jumping on his back for being at least twenty minutes late. Tightening his jaw, he asked what she wanted to tell him and she started with the Javi thing.

It only took at least two minutes before the room exploded into complete chaos. Baz stopped her before marching towards Lena who once again had been turning up the sound. Ripping the remote from her hand, he threw it against the wall in which it broke it two. Lena had jumped from the reaction and it made the other two jump and turn as well. "Your Aunt is trying to talk and I can't hear her because this is so loud!" He had already begun walking back over to them and Pope was the first to say anything.

"Lena go get your jacket, we can go on a walk or something…It's okay, go get your jacket" He reassured her and she ran as quick as she could into her bedroom.

He waited until she was gone before whipping back around at Baz. "What the hell is your problem? You had no reason to do that"

Taking his place next to Jessica he placed his hands on the counter and leaned forward towards him. Pope narrowed his eyes at his brother and spoke again, "You didn't have to scream at her like that"

"Oh yeah? You have some more parenting tips for me?" Jessica could tell that the hostility was growing fast and she acted on it. She tugged at Baz's arm to pull him back but he moved his arm back.

"Yeah, kids don't like it when you scream at them or scared the shit out of them either"

"You know what Pope? Why don't you get your shit together before trying to tell me how to take care of my daughter…You know nothing about this because no one will ever have a kid with you, ever!"

Jessica's had gasped out of shock by his words and it made her jaw partially drop. She couldn't believe what he told Pope and the look on his face killed her. She knew it bothered him considering that he had been taking care of Lena according to everyone lately.

"Come on Lena…Let's go" He said rising from the stool and moving towards the front door. Lena had trailed behind him once he called her and Jessica waited until they walked out to say anything.

"What the hell is your problem? You had no reason to act like that at all to Lena or Pope!" She could tell her voice was rising.

Baz continued to stare forward and didn't put any attention on her. That made her even angrier and she yanked his arm off of the counter making his other hand slip. He now faced her with a furious look but all she did was stare at him with her storm cloud eyes.

They stared each other down and Baz didn't have anything to say. "You know, I really have been giving you the benefit of the doubt because Cath's gone but now I'm starting to piece everything together. Be a Father to her already, she needs you. I'm not going to keep coming over here every single time you call for someone to watch her Baz. Get it together"

Jessica took a pause from what she was saying and looked away. There were a thousand things she could say but she was trying her best not to say too much. "Pope isn't a parent, I'm not a parent. Stop relying on us and take care of Lena because she deserves the world right now"

"Now you are trying to give me parenting advice?" Baz finally asked and that made her pause. She knew it was going to go the same way it just did for Pope but she didn't think he would stoop so low. "You're Mother doesn't even care about you and you've never had a Dad in your life"

Biting her tongue, Jessica couldn't help it and decided the next best thing to do. Raising her hand, she slapped him as hard as she could before shoving at him to move out of the way. When he didn't budge, she went around the island but Baz rubbed his cheek and moved in that direction.

"I swear to God if you don't get out of my way…" There was a minor tremble in her voice but she kept her composure. It wasn't unknown that Jessica had parental issues and it had affected her greatly throughout her entire life. She just couldn't believe he would go so low and say it when she had never said anything about his life before the Cody's.

Ramming her shoulder into his to make him move, she shoved him back before wiping her eye quickly for him not to see it. It had taken Baz a minute to realize what transpired and he honestly couldn't believe he said it. "Jess…"

Shaking her head, she ripped the door open then turned around. "No…Don't call me, don't text me, don't even come near me. I'm done, I didn't come over here to get disrespected by someone who I…" She cut herself off and looked at him. "Go to hell Baz"

Slamming the door shut with ferocity, there was now another piece of the problem to solve. Jessica jogged down the stairs and walked slowly down the sidewalk before picking up her pace into little hops. She wanted to get out of there before he tried to apologize. In all honestly she thought he was going to but he never did.


	13. And the Family comes Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deran has an idea for a job

After storming out of Baz's house, Jessica didn't want to go home. She had too much on her mind and she couldn't believe what exactly happened.

Her heart had hurt and she wanted to text Pope to meet up with him to apologize. It wasn't her place to say anything but she felt she should. Baz had no right to yell at either of them especially saying what he said. Jessica knew that her life had been hard and she wasn't going to let him rub it in her face.

Having no Father damaged her greatly as she had always fought for love and approval from Smurf. It seemed she only cared for her sons and she didn't matter along with Julia. It was a reason she turned to drugs and for Baz to throw that in her face…

Deciding on heading to Deran's bar, she thought it would be good to see one of her other brothers. She had thought about Craig but remembered what he would be doing and there was no way she was going to subject herself to be around drugs.

Stepping inside, Jessica stood near the doorway just to see if Deran was there. If he wasn't she was going to leave but she could spot him moving around. The crowd was pretty decent, the music wasn't too loud and there was no other Cody member in sight.

Her blonde brother smirked when he saw her and she plopped down onto one of the stools. "I thought you had Lena for the night?" Deran asked.

Shaking her head, she rested her chin on the palm of her hand and placed her elbow on the bar. "I did but Pope decided to take her for a walk or something. Can I have a drink? I don't care what it is…Can you make something fruity?"

"Do I look like I can make you hurricane or whatever the hell you call it? I can see if Stacy can make like a pina colada or something but I have beer back here"

Sighing heavily, she leaned a little to crack her back. "Oh I don't care, give me Bourbon or something. I need to get my mind off of tonight"

Feeling curious about what was going on; he grabbed a shot glass and poured a little into it. No matter how much she wanted to drink, Deran wasn't going to give her a lot. Jessica had taken care of him a lot when they were little and she always looked out for him. It was time for him to do the same especially since she was sober now and needed the extra help.

"So what's making you have the rough night?" He slid the glass and begin wiping the bar down.

Jessica looked at him and debated on telling him exactly what happened. She didn't want him to go off on Baz because she didn't want the extra drama. She was going to the clinic in the morning to get back into her job and that was the last thing that she wanted to do. "Big brother issues…"

Taking a sip, she made a face at the taste. "Deran they need you in the kitchen again. Something is wrong with stove or fryer or something" Stacy had walked by and to the back of the room to people who seemed to be waiting impatiently.

He gave her an apologetic look but Jessica shooed him away. She knew how much the bar meant to him and she didn't want him to worry about her. It also didn't help that she wasn't in the mood to dump her problems on him as he had a lot on his hands as well.

Jessica sat in silence for a few minutes until someone sat next to her. For a moment she thought it was Baz coming to apologize but she was delightful when she saw the familiar face. Adrian had just sat down next to her not realizing it was her sitting there. He offered a faint smile then had done a double take.

"Didn't think it was me or something?" Jessica asked before smiling back. It had been a while since she last saw him and she didn't remember how long it had been. Adrian hugged her faintly before sitting completely in his seat.

"No, I mean last Deran told me you went to rehab and I thought he mentioned you getting out or something. Little did I know I'd see you in a bar...You look good, how have you been?"

Jessica had known Adrian ever since she had met him as a teenager. She was the one who actually introduced him to Deran as they used to surf together every once and a while. Smurf started making her take him with her to the beach and they hit it off as friends. It was good that the two boys were the same age and the three had surfed often back in the day. She knew Deran still hung out with him but she had no idea about their current relationship.

"I'd rather be at home curled in my bed with a good book but I needed a drink. It's been a long night of arguing that I don't even want to deal with" Jessica realized she was rambling and she shook her head out of her thoughts. "You still in college? Please tell me you are surfing because I want to see what skills you have now"

Adrian had laughed faintly. He had pretty much taught her how to surf and she would occasionally show up at his meets. "I'm taking a break from school and surfing isn't really working in my favor...Sponsors aren't working in my favor at the moment.

She had frowned after hearing the bad news. Jessica knew he had potential to get far surfing but it was always going to be a competition. If one didn't have money to travel, it was hard to get sponsors. She never took the sport seriously as she liked doing it more as a hobby but Deran did try it out for a bit.

"Anyway, enough about my sob story. Did you come here to see your brother?" He asked spotting Deran in the kitchen.

Nodding, she took a gulp of her drink but shivered that time once more at the taste. "Well yes and no. Baz was being an asshole so I thought I'd stop by and see what was going on before heading home"

"When isn't he?" Adrian countered and that made her get a good laugh.

Jessica tipped her almost empty glass and wished she had one to click it with. "Wow, I think this stuff is really starting to kick in. See what happens when you don't drink for a while"

He had been amused by her and once she finished the rest Adrian took it upon himself to take the glass when she wasn't looking. He had nodded at Deran and he raised his finger to tell him he'd be out it a second. Jessica may have thought she was getting a buzz but she wasn't stupid enough to be putting two and two together.

"So how long have you and my brother been seeing each other?" She asked loud enough for him to hear but not too loud for everyone else.

Freezing in place, Adrian didn't want to say anything. He wasn't sure if she knew that either of them were gay or if she was going to get offended by it. Jessica and he were always cool but he didn't want to say anything on Deran's part.

"We're not..."

She quickly stopped him before he lied. "Deran told me he was gay and you know what I said? I told him I want to meet one of his boyfriends because what business is it of mine that he dates or even has sex with a guy" Jessica went to take another drink then realized it was empty. "How long have you guys been together?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Adrian spoke. "Is it really that obvious?" Jessica had smiled and nodding letting him know that if she could see something between them than anyone else could as well. "We're really not together. We like hang out and stuff but things get a little complicated"

"Let me guess, Smurf?" She questioned. With Deran being the youngest, he always seemed to be the most emotional but hid them easily. It wouldn't be a surprise if the whole family was the wedge in their relationship. "Trust me, I know all about that. It's nothing new"

She had taken a pause from what she was saying and glanced to see if he was coming back over. "I think you'll be good for him. Deran needs some sort of stability in his life and you have always been there for him, a good friend that he needs at his side. This bar is important to him and I think you can give him a normal life. After all, he does deserve it"

Adrian had listened closely to her and looked in the same direction she did. The youngest Cody was important to him and they were keeping their relationship hidden away from everyone else. He had urged Deran to stand up for himself and he thought it was good that she would be able to cheer them on without any issue. He had always been close with Jessica even when she was away with her drugs. Deran had been lucky to have her.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, you've been a better friend than I have" He spoke glancing her way. She had given him a skeptical look. "Oh come on, remember when you were always so worried about him drowning at the beach when he couldn't swim? You were the one that helped him with his homework before he dropped out; you taught him how to drive. You've given him stability to a degree, give yourself more credit"

Deran had popped back over once he was finished in the kitchen. Both Adrian and Jessica leaned back in their chairs with her giving her brother a wink. He had no idea what he just walked over to and was confused on the look she was giving him.

"Okay…Um, you don't need anything else to drink apparently. Adrian, you want something?"

"No, I am actually getting ready to leave" He said shaking his head.

"Oh you just got here, why don't you stay for a little bit" Jessica chimed in looking between the two men.

Shaking his head, Adrian stood up from his seat and leaned on the bar towards Deran. "I came by to ask if you wanted to head out Wednesday morning. The water is supposed to get crazy over the next few days which you know means the waves will be killer. You up for it?"

Thinking it over, he had nothing better to do that morning. He had something coming up tomorrow but the next three days were pretty bleak. Agreeing to go, Jessica had watched them intently waiting for them to do something romantic. She wasn't exactly sure how open either of them was but she was hoping it was going to be enough. It seemed that many people ducked out and Deran glanced around the room wanting to make a move. Adrian hesitated as well but leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. Jessica hardly could contain her excitement.

Once he left, Jessica leaned forward towards her brother who began wiping down the bar again after a nervous reaction. "Oh my God Deran! Why didn't you ever tell me you two were hooking up?"

"Because I told you I'm still not that open about it yet. Adrian and I not really that serious at the moment…" He stopped looking at her then took a step back. "Jesus Jess, you're way too enthusiastic about this. Did someone slip something in your drink?"

"I find it adorable and I'm glad that I can see you happy. Excuse me for caring about my baby brother" Leaning on the bar, Jessica reached forward and ruffled his hair as if he was a child. He pushed her hand away with a faint laugh.

It had made her happy to see him become successful because she knew how much he struggled breaking out of Smurf's grasp. He was always attached to her hip and it was great that he could break free from her grasp. As Jessica thought about it more, it actually started to hit her and make her sad inside. She wished she could have someone as good as Adrian and someone that seemed to care. She pushed her thoughts away from Baz and glanced down at her glass asking him for more.

Deran only poured a little bit in it before leaning on the table top to her left. "I got this idea I've been thinking about and I want to run it over by everyone. You think you could come to Baz's tomorrow?"

Pausing mid drink, Jessica didn't even want to go near there. She was willing to take a break from him for a while. "I don't know, I'm starting back at the clinic early in the morning so I should really focus on that"

He leaned in closer to her and whispered, "It's for another job. I have an idea. If you want to help you can but I just want you to hear it out"

Drinking the rest of the alcohol quickly, Jessica was curious as to what it was. It surprised her honestly because she was never included in any job. She had always gotten a cut whether she did anything or not but it was nice to know Deran wanted her there.

"I mean I can try to come like on a break or something but I'm not entirely sure if I can" Jessica had trailed off wanting to say something about what happened but hesitated doing so. "I'm just having a little trouble right now and I don't know what to do or where it's supposed to go"

He had a feel that he knew what it was about but he didn't want to exactly jump in. Deran stood there silent for a moment and thought it over. "So what's going on between you and Baz?" Jessica had lifted her head to look at him.

"I never said anything about him and this has nothing to do with him either"

"Oh come on Jessica, I know what you're talking about. You guys can't be any more obvious. Maybe the others don't see it but I do. You really think I bought the story of him going out to his car and J watching you get water? You two were fooling around…What happened?"

That was the one thing that Jessica appreciated from her brother was that he didn't step around problems. Sure he did various times but he was almost like her. He wasn't afraid to say certain things and she knew that he was looking out for her. It was just the fact that they were family and it was going to tear at the seams.

"It's nothing really, just something he said really bothered me tonight" Jessica said calmly but Deran knew better.

"You want me to say something to him?" Deran asked. He wasn't going to press her for information if she didn't want to talk. "What did he say?"

Shrugging faintly, it was hard for her to say. She didn't want there to be a confrontation tomorrow since they were all meeting up. "If I tell you will you not say anything tomorrow? I really don't want to be in the middle of some drama…" Deran agreed to stay quiet for the moment. "He just…I don't know. Had a moment and decided to tell me how sucky our parents are and…You know what? It doesn't matter anymore, I gotta get going"

Deran wanted to stop her but he knew better. His sister wasn't going to tell him nor was she going to stay. For now, he'd keep quite but lay low in the background.

The next morning, Deran had hoped that everyone was going to show up at Baz's. He had to wait until Lena had gone to school because they didn't need to talk about this around her. Pope had already been there after dropping her off and J had to get out his classes to show up. Craig was always the late one had shown up twenty minutes after everyone.

"Okay, since everyone is pretty much here. I had an idea for a job and I want to run it by everyone. I know we pulled just pulled in the church money but I know something that will happen probably in weeks to come"

Baz had been standing in the kitchen with Pope sitting on one of the kitchen stools across from him. J sat at the kitchen table towards the window, Craig leaned up against the couch leaving Deran stand almost in the middle of the room. He'd start without Jessica because he honestly didn't think she'd show anyway.

"Is it something good? Or at least something we'll get enough money out of?" Baz asked out of curiosity. The church pulled in a great amount but he wasn't in the mood to do something if it wasn't worth doing.

Nodding faintly, he turned in his direction. "Yeah, it should be a good amount of money. The total right now I'm unsure of but I know it's going to be a lot…There's a wedding party on a yacht…"

Pope had stopped Deran before he finished. "A yacht? You want to rob a yacht?"

"Before anyone jumps down my throat let me finish what I was saying" Flicking his eyes to Pope, he continued on, "I know it sounds ridiculous but there is going to be a lot of money on that ship. It's some millionaire or something that's getting married. All his rich friends will be there but whatever else is on it. We take the money, the cards, jewelry. It's a good deal"

Jessica had busted through the back rushing into Baz's house as if someone was trailing her. They all turned to see what it was and she looked to everyone. "I know I'm late but I had to treat like twenty people and it's not even noon" She pointed over to the coffee asking silently if she could grab a cup.

Not waiting for Baz to answer, she walked over anyway to recharge herself for the day. "You got your job back?" Pope asked now turning completely in his stool.

"Is that a crime?" She asked stepping over and hopping on to the stool next to him. Jessica had her hair tied up into a messy bun and wore dark blue scrubs with a white long sleeve underneath it. Taking a drink, she looked towards Deran. "What am I missing?"

"Deran's genius idea is to rob a yacht during a wedding" Craig said not believing exactly what he was saying. "Either way I'm in on it"

"You didn't even find out anything about it. A yacht? Like you really want us to go onto a yacht will who knows how many guests and rob them while getting away with it? You don't even know the details of the job and you expect us to jump on this idea?"

Being well prepared with skeptical comments, Deran knew Baz would be the one who had the biggest problem with it. A large boat such as that was going to be harder than most jobs due to the fact that it would be harder to get away. They would have to take jet skis to get on and off, move fast and don't do anything dramatic.

"I'm still working through all the details but I know it's a solid deal. I need all of you guys to pull it off. I'm not going to grab some old friends at take hundreds to split between them. I know we've got enough money now but this will always help in the long run"

Jessica had taken a large drink then shook her head faintly. "I love you D but count me out. I just got my job back and my life together, I'm not risking it to go to prison for armed robbery in the middle of the ocean"

"She does have a point…I'm not going back there" Pope chimed in and that pretty much opened up a can of worms.

Every Cody member expressed their opinions which led to argument upon argument. By the end of it, Deran and Craig were agreeing while J was still thinking it over. Jessica was clearly not joining on and Baz was refusing no matter what everyone set. Pope wasn't going to admit it now but he was really debating on helping his brothers out. Prison was terrible for him but if everything was planned out correctly, he believed it was going to be easy.

Craig and Deran had left together due to the fact that he was staying with him at the bar every once and a while. Pope said something about Amy and quietly ducked out leaving the others wonder exactly what he said.

"You're not going anywhere J" Jessica called out as he was making his way towards the door. "You're coming with me to the clinic in order to get your shot that you've been avoiding"

She had been washing the mug in the sink then began drying her hands off. Once she was finished, Jessica was ready to get out of there but Baz had stopped her. "Do you have a second?"

Jessica had hoped that he wasn't going to bother her because she hadn't said a word to him since she walked in. He pointed over to the bedroom in order for J not listen and she had looked between both boys. "You have five minutes, I'll be right back" She threw her keys towards J who caught them effortlessly just in case he wanted to go wait in the car.

Following him into the bedroom, Baz closed the door before turning to her. "Look, I know what I said last night was stupid and I didn't mean it. I had no idea Lucy was going to show up and she had been giving me a hard time"

Crossing her arms, she listened but didn't think much of it. "I don't care what kind of day you had. You should be apologizing to your daughter and Pope instead of me. Any excuse you give me is still an excuse. I don't need you to remind me about Smurf or my Dad. Would you like it if I decided to bring up the time your Dad beat the shit out of you in front of all of us? No you wouldn't"

He wanted to get on better terms with her but knew it was going to be challenging. Jessica was nothing like Catherine and had a better backbone. Cath most of the time hated the things Baz did but she was easier to smooth things over with. The most obvious reason was because of Lena and he didn't have anything tied to the Cody sister. She was very protective of herself because of a past relationship and because she wasn't going to let a man be her weakness.

"I have to get back to make sure J gets his shot and I'm going to be late if I stay and talk" It was the partial truth but he didn't know that.

"I did say I'd make it up to you for taking Lena so at least let me do that"

Unfolding her arms, she began walking slowly towards him who was standing by the door. "What are you going to do? Keep apologizing until I decide to sleep with you? Baz, you can't make it up to me because you hardly even know me anymore"

"Then let me get to know you. Your likes, interests, whatever you want to tell me" He countered back and that made her hold back a faint smile.

"This isn't a romantic comedy so move away from the door before I do it myself. You can't talk to me like I'm a child. It worked when I was sixteen and I see that was probably the biggest mistake of my life. I have to get back to work"

Stopping in front of him, Jessica had reached for the door handle and held onto it. Baz had shifted towards it and placed his hand on hers. She wasn't in the mood to deal with what was going on but that didn't stop him from placing his lips on hers. Freezing in place, the move was unexpected but it took her a moment to warm up to it.

Pulling back, she looked at him then pulled the door open with ease as he moved out of the way. "Look, you figure out your shit before trying to come at me for mine. I'm not doing this if you are going to treat me the same way you did Catherine"

"I know that's why I told Lucy yesterday we were done. We don't have anything stopping us Jess besides Smurf and I'm willing to meet you in the middle"

Thinking it over momentarily, Jessica didn't know what to say. There was a lot at stake and a lot on both of their shoulders to move forward. One was Lena, the second was that their bickering never ended and Smurf was the grandest stage of them all. They would still have to keep their relationship under wrap as long as she was around and that was a lot to ask of her. Jessica wanted to have a normal relationship for once but with Baz it wasn't going to be near that.


	14. The Mother of all Mothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family bonds

"Aunt Jessica, why do I have to go to the doctors?"

Lena had been holding onto Jessica's hand tight as they were making their way through the clinic's parking lot. Once again she had been on babysitting duty even when she had her job to worry about. Baz had gone down to Mexico she assumed to see or talk to Lucy even though he said he was done with her.

It wasn't the jealousy peaking up but she wasn't going to be played for a fool. She knew how Baz at times fooled around on Catherine; after all she was a onetime situation. If they were going to be anything he needed to step up to Lena and Jessica. She wasn't going to put up with his two timing ways and wasn't going to be the one constantly cheated on.

"Because your Dad decided to go to Mexico last minute and I'm the only one who was open to watch you right now..." Jessica knew she had irritation in her voice so she stopped walking and bent down in front of her niece. "Look, I know you would rather be watching cartoons but you and I will have fun today, okay?"

Lena had her usual innocent look on her face but she had been having a sad sparkle in her eyes. Jessica had done the best she could to watch her whether that meant taking her to the beach or staying at Baz's for her. She wasn't the motherly time but her instincts kicked in big time.

"There's coloring books here and some other fun things I'm sure you'll find interesting. Besides that your Uncle Pope is picking you up in an hour or two but as of right now..." Opening the door, she guided her inside. "You get to eat some cookies and look around. Plus, Uncle J should be here in ten minutes to get a shot and you can see him cry like a baby"

The last sentence made Lena laugh and her eyes widened. "I don't cry when I get shots...Do I have to get one?"

Shaking her head no, Jessica began to show her around the place. The color scheme looked like a beach met a doctor's office. It was filled in pastels ranging from blue to peach and yellow. Jessica had actually helped her friend paint the place as it was his to run in the first place. She had met Shaun Loomis when she went to rehab for the second time as he was working at the hospital she went to. He was at least ten years older than her but he and Jessica had a good friendship. He had been the only who had always given her the job back as he knew how hard her addiction was. With the hospitals always being weary of her, Jessica felt like she belonged at the clinic.

Besides that she knew most of the people that went in it. The Oceanside Clinic operated just like any other doctor's office or hospital. There were a handful of nurses and at least four doctors that took care of anything they could. Jessica liked it being a small working space and enjoyed when she was there. Even though it wasn't what she wanted to do with her life, it seemed like fate wanted to work in mysterious ways.

"Hey…I had to bring my niece in for at least an hour or two" Jessica commented while ushering Lena into the medium sized break room where Shaun was sitting.

"Is everything okay?" He asked looking up from a stack of papers. He was dressed in the same dark blue scrubs except he had on a doctors' coat. Shaun had dark chocolate brown hair with matching eyes, most of the nurses had a crush on him.

"Yeah, my brother decided to go on a quick vacation and she didn't have anyone to watch her" Jessica had pointed over to some chairs where Lena went to sit down. "My other brother Pope's coming to pick her up soon so if she can hang around here for a little while?"

Shaun had nodded and introduced himself to her. He showed her a few tricks on where they hide the good cookies and toys around the clinic. It was a very family friendly place and Lena's troubles seemed to go away for a while. It made Jessica feel less pressure on her because she didn't know if it would be okay. There wasn't any doubt in her mind but she couldn't help but worry.

"Oh speaking of your family, how are they? I believe your nephew is waiting in room 4 for a shot"

Jessica had given him a sarcastic look. "Don't even ask, they all are exactly the same and that is never going to change. He actually showed up? Come on Lena, grab some cookies and come with me"

After Lena picked out a few cookies and at least two Barbie dolls, she followed the Cody sister through the coral walls and knocked on the door. Jessica stepped inside with a faint smile as J sat on the examination table. He had looked nervous but Lena decided to speak.

"Aunt Jessica said you were going to cry while getting your shot" She spoke softly and it made Jessica do an awkward laugh. It was then she asked for her to go back outside and figure out something to do, J just have a confused expression.

"I'm surprised you showed considering you ducked out the other day, how's your leg?" The blonde sat down across from him and started typing some things on the computer. "When's the last time you had a tetanus shot?"

The last place J wanted to be was in a doctor's office. He would have rather been doing anything but staring at needles and depressing walls. "Yeah, I had a really important test that day" It was a lie but J was trying his best to get out of it. He had told her that he was taking tests to enter into different colleges. Jessica glanced at him skeptically but he continued on. "It's fine, it still hurts pretty bad but I think it's okay…Um, I don't think I ever got one. Should I have?

"Well you're supposed to get one at some point but I didn't get one as a kid either since we couldn't go to any kind of doctors. One time Craig had chicken pox and he ended up giving it to me which went to Deran and it was miserable…" Jessica stopped and turned all the way to look at him. "Did Julia ever take you to the doctors?"

Shaking his head faintly, J was feeling a little bit embarrassed. It was obvious that Julia would have never taken him but Jessica wondered if he had at least seen anyway. She could have easily taken him to her but their relationship became rocky as they got older.

"Okay…Well now you have me to worry about because if you get sick I will be the one to the rescue" She responded before getting up and opening up a cabinet. It had been filled with a lot of different medical equipment but she had pulled out what she needed for a shot. Loading the syringe with the medicine, she now searched for a cotton ball and an alcohol pad to rub his arm with. Turning back around, she grabbed the things and moved over. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing I just…" J stopped talking and stared at the syringe. He looked away taking a breath before looking at her. "I just don't like needles"

"Most people have a fear of needles, nothing to be ashamed of…" Jessica's voice had trailed off and she slowly realized what he meant. He had been avoiding going because Julia's drug use. Her drug of choice had been heroin which she always used a needle for. J more than likely had to get them for her and in no doubt in her mind did he see her shoot up. There was now a sad and awkward silence as Jessica put the things down on the bed.

"I promise it will be quick, you and I can have a talk about whatever after if you want. Trust me; I know how hard it was because I was in those shoes six times. The other night at Smurf's I thought I was going to die. Julia was my sister and I saw her go through some pretty shitty things"

Nodding at her statement, J had slipped his hoodie off in order to expose his arm. Wanting to make things go fast, she counted and told him to say his ABC's. It was a trick she used on children when they came in but Jessica knew it always worked. He had tensed up faintly and winced but it was over in one, two, three.

"Would you like a popsicle or cookie after that?" Joking, she began throwing out what she used in its appropriate spot and laughed along with him. "Trust me, I hate needles too. All the drugs I did mostly went right up my nose, surprised I look so good from after all I've been through"

Rubbing his arm, J was checking if it was swollen yet. "How come you and my Mom had a fall out? There were a couple of times that I heard your name but I wasn't entirely sure who she was talking about"

"She talked about me?" The Cody sister questioned with a fascination in her voice. It honestly surprised her because there were a few times that she had tried seeing Julia and J but was always turned away. In all honesty she felt guilty over her older sister for various reasons. She had tried more than once to get her to rehab but usually failed, Jessica had gotten her kicked out of the Cody home.

Taking a breath, Jessica sat back down and leaned in her chair. "Your Mom and I were close when I was younger but she got into drugs before I did. With me being ten years younger than her I wasn't sure what was going on at the time. I however damaged our relationship and I believed she would hate me for the rest of our lives. Julia hardly talked to me after what happened and I was surprised she came back and I was able to babysit you a few times when you were a kid. She was always good at disappearing and not wanting to be found, I thought I did that best but she beat me in that game"

J had listened closely to understand his Aunt and his Mother a bit better. Jessica had grown up around her and it was nice that someone wasn't tip toeing around her or avoiding Julia like Smurf had constantly done. "What did you do to her?"

"Ever hear of the saying don't open old wounds?" She said seriously then glanced around the room. "Baz and Julia were fooling around behind Smurf's back. At the time she didn't know but all of us pretty much did. To make long story short, I slept with Baz, Smurf told her, Julia threw a fit and there we were rolling around on the kitchen floor. We both got kicked out at the time and your Mom never forgave me for it"

Jessica had never forgiven herself for the whole ordeal either. If she would have known that he and Julia were still messing around, she wouldn't have slept with him. On top of it, she did wonder if J could possibly be his and that just made her wonder about the events also. It was crossing a line but she was young yet far from being stupid. She had also blamed Smurf for most of it but there was a part in the back of her mind that haunted her over it.

Before J could even answer her, there was a knock at the door and she stood back up to open it. It was another nurse informing her that Pope had come to get Lena. Checking the time on her phone, she didn't realize that she had been talking to him for about a half hour.

"Okay Kid, go on your merry way and don't hesitate coming to see me for anything, especially about that leg"

Guiding him out of the room, she saw Pope sitting in a chair looking as thrilled as ever. "You're letting Lena play around in here? Do you know what she could get into?"

Pausing to look between them, J continued on and said goodbye to them. Jessica walked over to him and rolled her eyes. "It's a doctor's office, not a gun store" She said calmly as he was rising from his chair. "Baz told me I was going to have to watch Lena for two hours, why are you here so soon?"

"Because I got done doing what I had to do" He answered plainly and walked past her to find their niece. It had always bugged her that he looked at her skeptically while watching her.

"What's Baz doing in Mexico?" She asked leading him to the back room.

Shrugging his shoulders, he didn't respond. He didn't have an idea because he didn't say much when he was leaving. Jessica believed it was something to do with Lucy because last she spoke to him she was blowing his phone up. She didn't care much and she was just curious to the whole situation.

"I don't know but he wants to meet up on the beach later when he comes back. He wants to meet where that big crane is sitting down near the dock"

"What's the meeting for? I don't get out of here until four so he's gonna have to wait if he wants to call this"

Opening the door, Jessica reached passed Pope and grabbed a clipboard listening for his response. "All I know is Baz wants to meet at the dock.

All of the Cody sibling and J had met down on the pier close to six o'clock. Baz was the only one that knew what was going on and they had waited lastly for Craig as always. They all looked at one another making small talk until he showed which prompted Baz to start everything.

"You know, last time you called me into a meeting with everyone it was an intervention and you drug my ass to rehab" Jessica said changing from her nurse scrubs into a simple black tee and shorts.

Baz had smirked then spoke, "You're clean now so I don't have to worry about it…We haven't been hanging out much due to Smurf's constant need for all of us to pull the jobs she wants and because of the church money"

"So you called us to have family time?" Deran asked crossing his arms and looking at the others.

"Do you guys remember when we were kids and we jumped off that really high cliff down in L.A?" Baz asked looking at them except for J who obviously was not present at the time.

"The one where I broke my damn arm because the water was like hitting cement?" Craig asked shaking his head

"Well maybe if you used your brain for once you would have realized that it was going to hurt" Pope spoke looking at his younger brother.

During one of Deran's surf competitions as a teen, all the boys and Jessica went down to Los Angeles to see him. While down there, they ended up on a cliff towards the beach and they all dared one another to jump. They all did and ended up with some sort of injuries. Jessica had a huge bruise on her side and leg which made Smurf throw a huge fit over it.

"That hurt like a bitch thank you" Craig said rubbing his shoulder while everyone laughed at his remark.

"We got twenty minutes until the guys get back. We're all climbing that crane right there and jumping just to get our adrenaline going and show that we all are still on the same page"

Looking between each other again, they had debated on it before all but Jessica agreed to do so. J's leg wasn't so bad anymore and he was actually looking forward to the thrill.

"Oh come on Jess, it's not going to kill you…" Craig spoke being the first one to climb it.

Falling under her brother's peer pressure as always, she followed the leader and got in line with the rest of them. Craig was the first and quickly climbing without a second thought followed by Deran, Baz, Pope, Jessica and lastly J since it would take him longer to get up with his injury.

"You guys this is really stupid…I could kill you right now" She said trying not to look down and watch her step, her blonde hair flying wildly in the wind.

"Obviously…" Pope spoke quietly glancing behind his shoulder.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that after that idiotic cliff dive that I'm terrified of heights so I really have to thank you Deran for the water jump"

"What the hell are you climbing this for?" He shot back at her once they reached the highest pint for each of them.

Not answering him, she hung on for dear life and was debating n passing J and climbing back down. "Okay, who's going first because I have no complaints doing it" Craig said, waited for an answer at jumped straight into the way.

All of them had watched his with a smile and amazement not really believing that they were all the way up there doing that. It had been a long time since they had done something dangerous that wasn't a job.

The youngest Cody brother let go effortlessly and let himself drop into the way. Pope had told J to go ahead and try it and after feeling his blood rush forward, he J with Deran and Craig watching from the water below. Up next was Pope who looked between the two and wanted his sister to go first. Shaking her head heavily, Jessica didn't budge but he wasn't waiting and he jumped as well.

"You still scared?" Baz questioned as they were still apart from where Pope jumped and that left an empty gap between them.

Nodding faintly, she gave him the side eye. "I'm climbing down, I'm not jumping"

"You don't have much of a choice because by the time you climb down the cops are going to be here because you know as well as I that people already called them on us"

"I'm not jumping Baz" She said sternly and turned away to begin her way back down.

"Don't be a chicken and just jump. You'll be perfectly fine" He said wanting her to change her and get it over and done with. She could take the risk of going back down but at the pace she was going it would mean trouble. "Alright, give me your hand and I'll help you"

Not hesitating on the thought, she threw her right arm out towards him because she was terrified. Jessica was never fond of heights begin with and she cursed herself for going in the first place. Taking her hand, Baz could feel it tremble faintly but she should have known better. Waiting until she was going to take the next step down and loosened her grip on one of the metal bars, he took advantage of it. Pulling her off with him, she had screamed at him until they hit the water.

They all had gathered at Baz's as usual and that his place was the closest to the beach. The jump was a complete adrenaline rush and they all had enjoyed it even if some didn't want to to begin with. The Cody's had been having a beer with the exception of Jessica. Talking about a variety of different things, Craig's eye had been caught by a brunette walking by.

"You need to go to rehab for sex addiction before your dick falls off" Deran said watching and turning to see his brother who was sitting on the front steps.

"Hey, you're just jealous because you're not the one who is the life of the party"

"Please, you're passed out three hours in because you're high out of your mind at that point" Jessica chimed in with amusement. She had been sitting on the edge of the balcony and peered over her shoulder to see who he was looking at, she may have had her eyes set on someone but that didn't stop her from glancing.

"Whatever, I throw the best parties in Oceanside…Besides, is this gang up on Craig day?"

Most of their clothes were dry except for some places and they were enjoying just have a peaceful, mellow day. Of course that wasn't going to last long as Baz's phone began to ring and J had handed it to him as he was sitting in the chair it was on. He was tucked away in the left corner with him and Jessica on the opposite side.

"If Smurf asks I left my phone at the house and I'm still in Mexico" He saw that she was calling, he wasn't going to deal with it today.

Once his phone stopped buzzing, Pope's had gone off not even ten seconds later. He had slid over his finger over to the ignore button and everyone else's buzzed right after one another.

"You think it's about Javi?" Deran spoke not wanting to answer but was faintly curious to why she was calling all of them.

"If so that's her problem to deal with, not ours" Baz said simply believing it that way. She had gotten herself into trouble and it had nothing to do with the others. Smurf would use them as pawns to get what she wanted.

Jessica pulled the towel around her shoulders more, glanced at Baz then the others. "I didn't tell you guys how she wanted me to get these tapes, did I?" She asked them and they all had answered no. "Well I guess some guy she worked with made these tapes confessing how they killed Javi's Dad and Javi has the tapes at his place. Our lovely Mother wanted me to do whatever I could to get on his good graces and get them so she could have them"

"Are you going to do it?" Pope asked wondering why she never told the boys about the recordings in the first place.

Jessica shook her head, her wavy hair starting to form as it dried. "Uh no. I'm not jumping into her mess over something that I've never even heard of in my life. I've got nothing against him, I'm the one who dated him for almost a year…Besides that, she told me to do whatever and I know Smurf. She wants me to pretend I care for him, lead him on, sleep with him and boom, I got the tapes"

"Yeah, you're not doing that" Baz spoke seriously and looked at her with a dead set stare in his eyes.

Crossing her legs, she snorted out a laugh then looked over at J when she heard music playing. His phone was the last to go off and he had looked between his Uncles and Aunt to know what to do next. They all stared back at him and J honestly didn't like it.

"Don't answer it man, she's just going to pull you in" Glancing in Baz's direction, he set his beer down and studied the phone for two seconds. Standing up, J pressed answered and stepped inside with the shake of Baz's head.

"That kid needs a backbone; he's not going to make it if he keeps listening to her" He spoke again quiet enough that he wouldn't hear if he got off the phone but loud enough for all of them to hear.

Pope had been watching J on the phone with a straight look on his face. "We shouldn't be worried about Javi or these tapes right?" Deran asked. He just didn't want to get pulled into something he'd regret considering he had the bar on his mind mostly at all times.

"I don't see anything coming out of this"

Jessica was skeptical considering she knew Javi wouldn't stop until he got the money he wanted. "He's going to keep showing up until he gets the money and we know she's not going to pay him anything"


	15. Show me where your Love Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica and Baz connect on a deeper level with past events

One Year Ago.

A party at the Cody home wasn't a rare occasion, in fact Craig was known for throwing them almost every week. It was mostly when Smurf had left the house so that she couldn't watch or dictate anything. Everyone had been going crazy that night because Craig had filled the house or Smurf did with her money with enough alcohol for days. It was never a surprise either that there was enough cocaine floating around either.

Jessica Cody had been dancing to the music in the way back of the yard. She had been enjoying herself as she did at every party. She enjoyed having every guy's eyes on her and loved the attention she received. Wearing a bright pink bikini top and jean shorts, she was slowly trying to take Craig's famous title.

"Drool much?" Craig commented with a grin while taking a drink of his beer.

Baz ripped his eyes away for a moment to give him a snobby look. "I wasn't even looking at her"

Giving him a skeptical look, he knew better. Jessica usually wore the same type of outfit but she was really showing off tonight. The way her tan skin shinned off of the bikini, her tone body grinding to the beat and her blonde hair flying wildly. Craig knew Baz had watched her every at every single moment.

"You know Catherine isn't going to be here…" Of course he was stirring trouble but Craig was also too high to care.

Before he could even respond to his comment, the song had changed and Jessica was done dancing. She had hopped over to them leaning past the both of them for a drink as they were standing at the bar.

"What's the matter with the both of you?" She asked brushing her straight hair from her face. She was in the same boat as Craig but not as bad as he was. When Jessica didn't have a care in the world she didn't care if she danced the night away or not.

Taking a sip out of the cup she had tucked away, she glanced between her brothers. Baz had turned away from her and took a drink of his own. Craig moved away with another grin as it was something he didn't even want to worry about. "Oh Bazzy Boo, what's the matter? Can't have any fun?"

She knew he hated that nickname as it was something she called him when they were kids. Rolling his eyes, Baz took a moment to look at her. Of course it was a complete scan from head to toe. Jessica watched him with a laugh and looked towards the pool.

"Oh I see what this is all about…You don't like me dancing in my bathing suit. For your information I danced in a lot less"

Getting a glare from Baz, she finished off the rest of her drink with smile. "Teasing you is what I'm best at, sorry babe"

Present Day  
Jessica Cody had just gotten off of a long day's work. It had been a nightmare at the clinic where everyone had any illness possible. On top of it there was only her and another nurse so she had been running from room to room all day. She wished it was how it was two days ago when all she worried about was getting J that tetanus shot.

Hopping out the blue jeep, she moved to the backseat in order to grab her backpack and purse. It was a quiet little place where she lived and the only noise going on was her digging around in the car. Walking up the drive, she slung the larger bag on her back and glanced at the building. One she reached the front however, things had quickly changed.

The peach colored door to her apartment had been wide open and the lights were on as she could see it from the windows. Feeling her heart sink, Jessica had looked around the entire place wondering what to do. She wasn't stupid enough to go look by herself especially that she didn't have a weapon or back up. All she had was her wallet, her leftover lunch and a few books that she was planning to read.

Pulling her phone out of her scrubs, she dialed the first person that came to mind and crossed the street while keeping her eyes on the front door. Jessica wasn't sure if someone was still inside and it was too dark out to see if anyone was hanging around outside. Plopping down on the edge of the curb, she sat in silence waiting for her knight in shining armor.

Seeing a familiar silver Charger roll down the street, she pointed to the parking garage and waited for Baz to park the car and walk over.

"Doesn't this remind you of that time I called you when I was like eighteen and had no idea where I was?" Jessica asked once he crossed the street. She was in the process of standing up and grabbing her things.

"Are you talking about the time that you called because you and Craig partied hard and you left with that guy?" Baz wasn't sure what she was bringing up and he turned around to see her apartment.

Nodding faintly she felt that she was repeating history to a degree. She had ended up falling head of heels for a guy that Craig had invited to a party. It was during her time of being hooked on drugs that she was surprised she even remembered it. He left her stranded on the road somewhere and she called Baz to pick her up. Unbeknownst to him at the time she did all sorts of stuff that he ended up rushing her to the hospital as she began overdosing in his car.

"I called once I saw the door open; I didn't want to go in just in case someone is still in there"

Baz had been staring at before nodding at her words. He helped her get her things and told her to stay behind her as they made their way to her apartment. Stepping up the stairs cautiously, he put his hand out to tell her to stay behind him as he pulled his gun from his back waistband.

Jessica's blue eyes had widened and she placed a hand on his upper arm. "You brought a gun? Are you crazy?" She whispered once they were approaching the door.

"No, someone broke into your apartment and I'm concerned about you more than anything else"

Softening her face, she braced herself for whatever was going on in her apartment. With Baz in front of her, she felt completely protected and safe but her heart was still feeling uneasy. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary in the living room or kitchen and it was completely silent. Placing her bag down gently, Jessica placed her hands on his shoulders as he started going towards her bedroom.

Quickly opening the bathroom door, it was completely empty which now left the bedroom last. Whipping his way into the room, Baz lowered the gun when no one was standing inside.

"Why didn't they take anything?" Jessica pipped up as she stepped away from him. Walking past him, she grabbed the closet door and opened to make sure no one was inside either. Throwing her arms up, nothing was out of place. Pausing, she shut the door and leaned against it. "What if it was Javi?"

Giving her a skeptical look, his walked over and set the gun on her dresser. Her room was painted exactly like the rest and it still had a beachy vibe to it. Her bed spread was white and sea green with matching nightstands and dressers. It was very simple with some clothes on the floor and another surf board in the corner. The curtains had been sea green as well and it had been similar o her old room at Smurf's.

"What would Javi want with you? He's after Smurf's money…Unless he's that desperate to get you back"

Shooting him a faint glare, she stepped over to him and yanked open the first dresser drawer. "Jealousy looks good on you, wear it more often" She mocked him for the comment he made to her about Lucy. "Who knows what he wants, I'm not as skeptical as you are in the situation. A guy wants money from our family and you seem to think he's not going to ask us for anything"

"Okay, I never said that. All I said is that it's Smurf's problem to deal with and not ours. If Javi showed up then I'll talk to him about it next time he's at her house"

Digging in a drawer, he watched her silently and Jessica faced him. "Wanna close the door so I can change out of my clothes and you don't stand there and watch?"

Smirking faintly, he moved away and out of the room. She had grabbed grey shorts and an old Oceanside High School t-shirt that she still wore with pride. It reminded her that she had been the only one went for her GED out of the family and she was always down to wear it. As Jessica got more comfortable, she stepped back out into the living area.

"Who said I was staying?" Baz asked picking up her bag and moving it out of the way. He set it down on her counter and then moved over to the couch.

"You were staying from the moment I called you. You, Baz Blackwell leave a female unarmed in a robbery situation and not protect me? What would your Mother say?"

Grabbing a water bottle out of the refrigerator, she tossed one onto his lap and jumped down onto the couch next to him. Crossing her legs like she did before, she faced him one. Opening the cap, Jessica took a drink before staring at him.

"Nothing…You're just wearing your shirt that you like to brag in"

Glancing down at it for a second, she put the water down the table. "What? Would rather me take it off? Nice try Boo Boo but you're not suckering me into that one"

"Oh come on, when we were kids we were always dragging you around with us. I'm sorry, but weren't you the one who followed us climbing a crane on the beach?"

"Okay first off I didn't ask you to pull me off of the God damn thing as I wanted to climb down. Second of all you loved dragging your little sister around because like Craig said, it attracted all of the girls to you. Third of all…"

Before Jessica could finish her sentence, Baz had leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. Not expecting that to be the next move, she could feel her heart skip a beat. Pulling back for a moment, she cocked her head staring at him before focusing her eyes on his lips. Accepting it, she decided to act best on her emotions. Shifting herself so she could place herself into his lap, Jessica was as eager as he was. Baz had placed his hands on her hips while working them up to the hem of her shirt. She had been running her hands through his hair until things started to change.

Once she felt her shirt slowly rising, she pulled completely away and moved back into her spot on the couch. Covering her mouth for a second, she thought everything over and spoke, "We can't do this Baz, not again"

Feeling completely confused by her actions, he sat up a little straighter and took a deep breath. It was frustrating to him due to the fact that she had been constantly doing things to lead him on and then abruptly stopped. It was his turn to think things over and he studied her to figure out where she was. "Why not?" Baz asked simply.

"Remember what happened a year ago? I'm not getting kicked out of this family for the third time because of you…I think it's best we just don't do this anymore"

"Weeks ago you were all over me not once, not twice but three times. Now all of a sudden you want to just want to forget about everything we've been doing?" Baz knew what she was referring to. "Catherine is gone; Smurf isn't going to find out and Lucy is over and done with"

Standing up, Jessica wanted to continue with it and it had honestly had taken a lot in her to stop. It was just every time she thought about it things crashed down on them. The two of them were like magnets that were constantly sticking and pulling them apart was hard. The problem however was that she didn't want to keep things secret as every time before.

Ruffling her hair out of her ponytail, it was good for her just to back away. Without saying another word, she stepped out of the way and ended up going back into her bedroom, closing the door silently. Leaning his head back, Baz was trying to figure out what to do next. He was going to prove to her that this time was serious and it wasn't going to be like the other times. It was now his time to get up and chase after her. Walking down the hall, he pushed open the door.

"Look…You and I are going to have a complicated relationship and you're scared, I get it. Smurf can run this family all she wants but I'm not going to let her step into our business. What we do is our business alone and I want you"

Pausing at his words, Jessica gently took a seat on the edge of her bed. "Is this the real Baz talking or is it the Baz that wants into my pants?"

Laughing lightly at her words, he walked further into the sea green room. "I'm serious Jessica. You know as well I as that this is something that both of us want. Trust me on this"

Staring back at him, Jessica was putting a lot on the line. The first time Smurf and Julia had gotten in the way and by the second time it came around was Catherine. She didn't want the third time to be the charm but had a feeling it would happen. She had to think if it was something that she truly wanted even though she knew she did. Wanting a forbidden romance wasn't her cup of tea but she couldn't stay away from Baz no matter who tried blocking her.

Baz was waiting for an answer before he tried doing anything else. He wasn't going to back her into a corner or forced her into but he knew the outcome of both options. If Jessica wasn't going to act on her feelings it would only be a matter of time that they would do something again. If she did then they had a long road ahead of them that both were willing to do.

Nodding faintly at his words, he still was waiting for her to say it out loud. "If you're that serious then yes"

Jessica had leaned back on her elbows on the bed waiting for him to come over. He had done what she wanted and hovered over her. Picking up from where they left off, it was her turn to rip off his white t-shirt. Once she was done with his, she quickly took hers off and pushed him back faintly. Jessica wanted to feel in control so she shoved him onto the bed and got on top of him. Ruffling her hair again, she kissed him back viciously.

Pulling back from him, both Baz and Jessica had been panting heavily. They had been catching their breath while removing the rest of their clothes. Knowing exactly what each other liked, they were always a perfect match for one another. Jessica had laid her hands on his chest and started rolling her hips. Baz had dug his fingertips into them before rolling them over. Holding her hands up above her head, it was time to show that he would give it to her as much as she was giving it to him.

One year ago  
"Are you really going to just sit there and pout the whole time?" Jessica had hopped over for a second time over to Baz.

He had been sitting on a barstool on the opposite side of the pool. Everyone had either talking; dancing, drinking, doing drugs or doing God knows what in the pool. Baz looked miserable and she had watched him back but did so slyly.

She reached for a random red cup that was lying around, finished whatever alcohol was in it and tossed it aside. Grabbing his hand, she attempted to pull him off. "Come on, I'll let you to dance with me"

"You know I don't dance Jess…Go do whatever you were doing" He said almost in a dismissive tone.

Letting go of his hands, she stepped away without a second thought. Going over to the radio that had someone had their phone hooked up to; she changed the song to a hip-hop song that she knew. Jessica walked back over with a smirk, turned her back to Baz and started to grind on him like she had been doing alone earlier. Being caught off guard, Baz didn't say anything but he wasn't complaining. Most of the time Catherine had been around if she wasn't working or if the babysitter was watching Lena and Jessica knew exactly how to tease him whether she was there or not.

Leaning back to see him, Jessica was showing off. It was a complete different personality when she was sober and when she wasn't. "I hate that I can't have you, it only makes me want you more" He leaned in and told her. Baz was doing everything he could to contain himself and Jessica knew it.

Smiling at his words, she stopped dancing and turned to face him. "Who said you can't?" Crashing her lips onto his, she gently pulled him off the seat wanting him to come onto her.

After making out for at least a couple of minutes, he had pulled back and rubbed his head. "Look, Jess…"

Frowning faintly at his words, Jessica bit her lip and backed away. "I get it, you and Catherine are back together after your little split or whatever" Taking a deep breath she started walking away. "You and I can't mess around anymore; you could have just said it"

Hopping away as fast as she could, she ducked into the house to collect herself. Baz and Catherine had taken some time apart from one another which meant Jessica threw herself towards him. While separated the two of them began to hang out often and it led to plenty of sex. She wasn't sure what was going on but she figured they were together since she ended up going to the parties.

Standing at the kitchen island, Jessica looked around until she spotted a friend of Craig's in the large family room. She had asked if she could have a line of her favorite drug so she snorted some coke in order to block out what happened. Feeling two arms grab her around the waist, she turned faintly to see who it was although she already knew it was Baz.

"Bedroom now. I can't wait any longer"

Present Day  
Jessica had woken up the next morning with the sun shining in her eyes. She sat up rubbing her eyes and then forgot who was lying next to her. Looking down at him, she had to replay the night for a second in her mind. The last time she slept with him ended up in a total disaster and she couldn't believe that they had actually gotten away with it this time.

Getting out of bed gently to not make a sound, she had looked around for her clothes and slipped them on. She had no idea what she did with her phone and she assumed it was hitting ten in the morning. Jessica had to be at work by twelve thirty and she wasn't entirely sure what to do. She really had no idea where their relationship stood because she was still on the fence about it.

"You don't have to be so quiet" Baz said which caught her attention, Jessica didn't see that he was already up.

Searching the room once more, she tossed his pants towards him. "Some of us have to get ready for work and I have no idea what time it is"

Leaving the room to go out into the living area she saw the case lying on the counter. Checking it out, it was only ten and that gave her enough time to get ready and solve whatever happened. Jessica waited for him to come out because she knew that he was bound to follow.

"So quick question, I'm a little confused on what exactly happened. You and I…" She called out while trying to make coffee.

Baz had come out a few minutes later wearing just his pants where she had been fully dressed in her previous pajamas. "I thought we talked about this last night?"

"We did but it wasn't anything major" She spoke and leaned on the counter to face him. He had taken a seat on the couch. "I'm not settling to be a friend with a benefit. I'm not going to wait on the side or be played for that matter. I want more than that and I don't know where we stand"

"I know you do and you deserve it" He answered back knowing that he was going to have a tough time convincing her. Jessica had every right to be skeptical as the situation was complicated greatly. "I know what we have is complicated and I know that this isn't going to be easy. Every time we are around each other something happens, all I'm saying is I want you and I don't want anyone else"

Smiling faintly, she turned away from him so he couldn't see it. There were many factors on both sides that were going to test them and try pulling them apart. Baz was right, it wasn't going to be easy and it wasn't something she already knew. Her issue was that she wasn't sure if she should push herself into.

"Well…" Trying to figure out what to say, she was really at a loss of words. "I have to start getting ready for work, I need a shower" Ignoring the coffee for now, she walked behind the couch and he watched her. Standing up, he reached for her but Jessica spun around and placed her hand on his chest. "Do not even think about following"

"Oh come on, you have like two hours for that" Baz grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him.

Thinking it over, Jessica shifted herself in his grasp to look at him. He held onto her because he knew she was going to try and get out of it. "Fine, twenty minutes top"

One year ago  
Jessica and Baz had been tucked away in her old bedroom. They had been in there for the last twenty minutes even though their time was about to be cut short due to an old friend. Both had been close to their release and

Pounding her fist on the door, Catherine had found out from Craig where Baz was and she wasn't happy. "Open the damn door"

Baz had been holding onto her hips as he had her bent over the bed. Jessica had been slamming back against him; she was giving it to him as much as he was giving it to her. They were in the process of almost being down but the moment was quickly interrupted. He had loosened his grip on her and Jessica nearly jumped off of the bed after hearing it. Searching the room, she grabbed her shorts swiftly.

"I thought she wasn't supposed to be here" She said trying to slip her shorts back on but couldn't find her bikini top anywhere. She had been staying with Smurf for a while so her clothes were thrown all over, she was lucky to find a loose t-shirt.

"She's not…Look, I'll go out first, you just don't worry about it. I'll get Cath out of here" Baz was as frantic as she was but his emotions were more intense. Neither one of them had expected this to happen but he had more on the line than she did.

Ducking out of the room he had chased after Catherine leaving Jessica behind. She had debated on just leaving the party in general but she really wanted to know what was going on. She stood by the door and heard Cath yelling despite the music being loud. Jessica had toyed with her hair for a second then took it upon herself to go to the kitchen where all the noise was going on.

"Craig told me exactly what was going on so save your breath Baz" She said marching into the living area. Baz had ordered everyone out for them to have a conversation. Whipping around, Catherine looked at him. "You know I really trusted you and for you to have sex with her? Your sister for that matter"

"It's not what it looks like, give me a second to explain" Rubbing his head, Baz knew this was a mistake. The only thing he could think to do was save his own ass. "She came onto me and I just…"

"You just what? That's not an excuse"

"Hold up, I sure as hell did not come onto you" Spinning around the corner, Jessica appeared with her arms crossed. "You wanted this as much as I did so don't try to make me look like the bad guy. You were more than eager to do me than anyone else at this party"

Seeing the Cody sister made Catherine furious. She was mad at both of them but she was more so at her. It was clear to her that Jessica had always wanted him and Cath wasn't having it. She had more with Baz as Lena was the common factor that they shared. Looking at the girl made her furious and Baz was stuck in the middle.

"You know, I have been giving you the benefit of doubt lately. I let you watch Lena when I was at work, I knew you were a junkie and I still let you watch our daughter. From this point on I want you to stay away from me and my family"

Blinking after her remark, Jessica had been insulted by her words. She had partially expected Baz to stand up for her but knew he wouldn't. He always stayed on Catherine's good graces and he needed to smooth things over with her not only for Lena but for Smurf as well. Craig and Deran had just stepped in the room from the back door but slowly halted when they realized the tension.

Glancing at her brothers, she had realized that it was a mistake and that she screwed up big time. Instead of apologizing, she fired back at her. "Maybe you should keep a tighter leash because I'm not the only girl he's screwing…" All three men had snapped their heads towards her after hearing that statement. Jessica didn't stop there however, she kept going. "Apparently you don't have what it takes to keep him happy because he wouldn't be fucking me if you did"

Craig couldn't help laugh out loud at the remark. Deran's eyes had widened and tried to say something in order to get his sister out of there. Baz's face had changed and she knew at that moment that she said something she shouldn't have. Catherine wasn't having it and charged towards her. Having been between them physically, Baz grabbed her but Jessica charged back at her. Deran stepped up and both men were holding the girls back from one another.

Their hair and arms were flying wildly and it had taken a good amount of time to calm them down. Words were being thrown and they hadn't been listening to the boys. "You will never have what I have. You want it so bad that you are desperate to get it. You will never ever have kid, a boyfriend that cares for you because the last one beat the shit out of you and you ran to your brothers. You'll never get him, get what I have or have the family that you've dreamed of"

Right as they let go of the girls, it was Catherine who decided to scream back. People had already started coming in and watching with front row seats. All that she said about her ex-boyfriend was true and it was another thing she wasn't proud of. Rushing at her, Jessica ended up being the fool through it all as Cath reached past Baz and knocked her straight in the face.

Baz had enough of it and pulled Catherine and drug her to the front door. Leaving, he needed to gain control of everything as it was turning into a bigger mess than it should have. Jessica had crumbled onto the floor feeling blood leak from her nose. She had climbed into a sitting position covering her face. The Cody Brothers both went to pick up their sister but she only shoved them away. Making her decision right there, she was going to pack her things and disappear from the family once again.


	16. All about the Benjamin's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family pulls a job for Smurf

Five days had passed lightly throughout the Cody family. Everything had pretty much been the same with all of them still speaking to one another except for Smurf. They were continuing to keep their distance as a punishment for her controlling ways.

Craig had been doing the usual things he did which meant drugs, having sex and trying to get Nicky to leave him alone. Deran was keeping low running the bar and still trying to figure out his whole plans for the yacht job. Pope had been watching Lena still and was secretly still seeing Amy even though he told Baz he wasn't. J was still on the mend with his leg, sorting ou school and fight off the feelings he still had for Nicky. Jessica had been working mostly during the days but at night was a different story. When Lena was staying at Smurf's, she had been over at Baz's without anyone catching them. Baz had been avoiding Lucy as she wanted him to do a side job with her brother Marco. He as well had been enjoying Jessica's company as the two were still secretly seeing each other. Smurf was gathering up a little job for everyone to take part in order to get her children back on her good graces.

She had called everyone that day over to her house because the job was already set. It was going to be a test to see who would actually show up, but Smurf had a gut feeling that all of them would as they would make the plan together. She knew her children would never turn down a chance to make money and it was Smurf's job to reel them in with something easy. Even though she didn't get a hold of Deran or Pope, it was going to be Baz's choice whether to drag them to her home not. The point though was clear, and Smurf was glad that the two siblings didn't answer. It would be Jessica's job to bring her brother and Baz wouldn't let Pope not be there...Especially if she had been watching Lena for the night.

Pulling up to the Oceanside Clinic in his Silver Challenger, Baz was picking Jessica up one her shift was over. He had at least fifteen minutes, but it was better to show up early than be late because once she got off they had to head to Smurf's. He was curious to know what the family meeting was all about, and Jessica was only going because he had been picking her up. The two were planning to do something ahead of Smurf's call but plans were going to be held back only for an hour or two.

Stepping out of the car, he leaned against rather than going inside. Checking his phone after feeling it go off, it was Pope, so he decided to call him rather than text back. Dialing, he waited until he answered but of course he wasn't going to because Pope would rather avoid the conversation he was going to have. Seeing a car pull up beside him, Baz backed against the car a little more before watching a familiar face step out.

"Well look who I finally tracked down...What's it been? Ten, fifteen years?" Slamming the black truck door closed, Javi had made his way towards the front but stopped once he reached the headlights.

Baz hadn't moved from his own car and just watched him carefully. Slipping his phone back into his pocket, he glanced around for a second then focused his attention back on him. "What are you doing around here?"

"I just said I've been trying to track you down and I just happen to see you waiting outside this clinic where I know a particular Cody works" Javi turned away from him and glanced at the building. He then walked to the passenger door and leaned up against it.

"You know, when I first started dating Jessica I really didn't know what to expect. She just got out rehab months before and she grew up. I thought the whole nursing thing would end up being nothing but here she is surprising me. Smurf really did a number on her, didn't she?"

Knowing that Javi had been coming around bothered Baz but not as much as it should have. The reason he didn't have too much of a concern was because the issue was with Smurf. He had been on guard for various reasons but Javi hadn't begun bothering anyone. Jessica told all her siblings including Baz about him bothering her but most of them brushed it off as they had dated previously.

Continuing on, Baz didn't say a word as Javi had more to say. "I mean, she never got treated like the rest of you. Pope was always off doing his own thing and Julia wasn't around anymore. Craig and Deran were always at the beach and you were off doing whatever Smurf told you. I was the only one that took care of her when we dated; you all didn't give a shit about her"

"Did you track me down to remind me of your past relationship or what?"

Shaking his head, Javi stared towards the building once more. "She's a good girl with a lot of damage; you think you can handle that?" He questioned then faintly smirked.

Narrowing his eyes, Baz had no idea what he was trying to pull. He wasn't intimidated by him nor did he care to stand there to talk about it. "What do you want? First you hang around Smurf's in order to get some money that she owes you and now you're standing here asking me about Jessica"

Javi wanted to keep rambling on about her before changing it to a variety of different things. He wanted to get under his skin and say a few things he had been meaning to say. It would be to Baz's surprise that he had already talked to Pope earlier that day and Javi was only making his rounds.

"I'm not blind and I wasn't back then…I'd be careful with her though. Jessica had told me a few things back then that I just can't seem to shake now that I'm around all of you. She's good at hiding her pain considering she decides to drown back bottles of pills to cope with being in that family…" Trailing his eyes back towards his old friend, he held the gaze. "And look at you, I knew that you were always going to be the hot shot but now you've got the whole package"

Crossing his arms, Baz backed off of the car wanting to get in his face and tell him to back off. It was obvious that he wanted to play around with the family until he got what he wanted. They had enough space between them and if Baz moved forward there would hardly be any left.

"Look, you want Smurf's money for whatever reason you have. We all know that you've hated her since she kicked you out and I don't blame you. My Dad beat the shit out of me and my Mom is nowhere to be found so I get it. Crawling around here and around Jessica has nothing to do with Smurf or money"

"You think I'm here for her? No, I'm here to tell you all that if Smurf doesn't give me what I want then I have no problem dragging this problem onto all of you. You tell your little girlfriend in there that she better hope her Mother cares enough because I don't think any of you are going to like what I'll do"

Before Baz could answer him, Javi quickly turned his attention to the front door of the building. Both cars had been parked to the side but still had a clear view of the front. Turning around to look over his shoulder, he watched Jessica close the door before slowing down her pace as she began walking in their direction.

Smiling faintly, the Cody sister didn't know exactly what she was walking into. The look on Javi's face was serious and he wouldn't pry his eyes off of her. It was strange to her that he kept popping around wherever she was and didn't understand. Jessica knew everything going on with Smurf between him wanting something from her and Smurf wanting the tapes. Baz however turned back around to keep his eyes locked on Javi once she approached the car.

"Hey…What are you doing here?" She said stepping past the front and stood next to Baz. Fixing the bag on her shoulder, she glanced between the two men. '

"Just doing a little catching up with Baz here, I should really get going. I'm sure you two had plans"

Without saying another word, Javi had stepped past the two of them and moved to the front of his truck. Standing there for at least five seconds, he eyed them together one last time before jumping into the driver's seat. The two had stood there and watched him pull away and they both waited until he left.

Once he was gone, Jessica went to turn away and get into the passenger seat. Before she could however, Baz pulled her back into a quick yet passionate kiss. She was the one to pull back and a smile appeared on her face. "What was that for?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he reached for the driver's door as she had already backed away to the passenger side. "No reason…How was work?"

Hopping inside, she tucked her book bag between her feet before reaching for the seatbelt. "Well, there were two cases of the flu; one chicken pox and the other were just plain checkups that I helped Shaun with. What was that all about with Javi?" She questioned turning faintly in her seat to see him. He had begun driving

"Your question is as good as mine. He came to tell me how he wants Smurf to give him the money that he wants…And I guess to talk about you"

"Me? I swear he always stares at me whenever he sees me. Are you gonna tell Mom about it?"

That was something that Baz had to come to a conclusion of. He would rather bring it up to the Cody boys rather than her because he knew exactly how she would handle it. She would attempt to drag them into the fold because she hadn't said too much about it so far. Both of them still wondered what Smurf was wanting with everyone and it could have been about Javi for all they knew. Reaching for her hand, Jessica watched him before intertwining it with his.

"You know, I could really get used to sneaking around" She commented shifting forward to stare out the window as their way to Smurf's.

"I think you got used to doing that ages ago" Baz said glancing over at her. They sat in silence for the rest of the way content on their surroundings.

Once he began to pull in the driveway they had changed and they quickly separated from each other. It had been an instinct because they felt like Smurf would be standing right in front of the car staring them down. Both Jessica and Baz knew to keep their cover under control but Jessica broke it for a split second. She had leaned over once he stopped the engine and kissed him on the cheek. That then prompted him to gaze at her for a second before returning the favor except that time on her lips again. The forbidden romance was a thrill rush and they got a high out of doing it around everyone and not getting caught.

When the garage light had popped on, they quickly separated and stepped out of the car as innocently as they could. It had been getting late, towards 8 o'clock and even though they thought it was Smurf, it was just the light up above them. Letting her go first, the two had cut through the garage and glanced around the house for everyone. They heard them talking in the main room and they both popped up from around the corner.

"Well it's about time you two finally got here…" Pope said looking at them with his signature glare. He was sitting in his tense, upright position while everyone was hanging around.

"You know some of us actually have a real job and I didn't get off until seven, had to grab my things and get here. If it was inconvenient for you I'm sorry but I didn't even get to change out of my clothes" Jessica was in her navy scrubs and her hair in a loose bun like last time they met up.

Smurf had looked between her children before ushering them to sit down. Jessica had taken a seat near the window and Baz took a seat by her but not close enough. She was closer to Craig who was stretched out of the large couch and Deran of course sat in the chair he takes liking in. Pope sat in the middle of the couch and Smurf stood near the fireplace.

"Where's J?" Baz asked noticing they had been missing a plus one.

"J and I already had this discussion, he's out taking care of a few things including helping Nicky study for her math test" Smurf responded leaning against the wall.

"Who studies anymore? I never studied a day in my life" Craig spoke up.

"That's exactly why you flunked high school" Deran told him even though he was along the same lines. All of the Cody's had dropped out of school and J had been the only official member to actually graduate. Nicky had been a year behind him so she had been a senior in high school.

"If my memory serves me correctly, none of you graduated..."Smurf chimed in while crossing her arms. She had given Deran a look to keep quiet. "I already discussed this with J, you know the day that all of you decided to ignore my phone call? I have a job lined up for all of you to do"

The last thing any of them expected her to say was that she wanted them to do a job. Baz had made it clear a while back that they were going to do things their way and she knew that. All of the Cody siblings looked and him wanting him to be the one who spoke first. It tehincally was Baz's idea to spread their wings from Smurf so they wanted him to be the one to talk first. Jessica on the other hand only got the just of the problem that had been going on but that didn't mean she didn't follow in her siblings footsteps.

"Why are all of you looking at me?" He questioned noticing all of them had turned their heads at the exact same time.

"You are the leader of this little gang, aren't you?" Pope said raising his eyebrow towards his brother.

Baz had taken a look at all of them again before sitting completely back on the couch. He didn't want to speak up and would rather Smurf continue on with her new job. She had listened and watched taking her own time to look between everyone. Smurf hadn't thought that they would all turn to Baz because she believed they were all going to have their opinions. Waiting for him to say anything, Smurf knew he was going to wait for her to finish so she took it upon herself to fill in the silence.

"There's a brewery in the next town over that makes thousands upon thousands. On Tuesday and Thursday they earn almost a million which then will be transported into the bank well that is exactly what I heard. I know you guys did the job on the church and I know that you have all that money sitting around in your pockets. We need to come together as a family and do a job together"

No one had said anything and kept their eyes on Smurf. Some were going to going to side with her and some were going to back out. Smurf had a pretty good feeling on what everyone would say but she had wanted all of them to jump in.

"With all due respect, I did say that we were going to be picking the jobs from this point out" Baz had finally said.

Turning her attention his way, she stared at him. "Trust me, I remember clearly. We're a family and we are not meant to be split up. This way we all can trust each other again and have no issues. The money will be split equally"

"How much money are we talking to begin with?" Pope asked leaning back with his gaze on her.

Smirking faintly, she spoke, "I'm going to guess somewhere around $900,000"

"Are you serious?" Craig practically shouted and leaned forward taking a glance between everyone. "Hell, I'll do it, it's almost a million dollars"

Shaking his head, Baz wants so sure on the situation. It did sound rocky and he didn't know why she wanted to do this plan all of a sudden. She hadn't bothered them for a while especially about money and started to believe that the reason was because she was running out of money. Smurf wanted her boys to pull off a job than actually have herself do the work.

"I don't know about this, I'm not putting my job at risk for money" Jessica responded.

"I want you in on this job baby, it wouldn't be family without you" Smurf said nodding faintly towards her daughter.

Slowly turning her head toward Baz, Jessica had looked at him with a skeptical and disbelief look. Julia and Jessica never took part in jobs because Smurf had left it to the boys for everything. They had gotten as share until they ended up cutting Julia off due to her drug use. Later down the line Jessica need more money for her nursing school and stripping just wasn't cutting it. She ended up getting money from the jobs as the boys, well most of them were willing to split the money with her.

"What's J think about this? You talked to him about it already and I'm assuming that he's ready to go" Baz glanced to catch Jessica's look.

"J's willing to do whatever I ask unlike all of you" Smurf said with a faint annoyance in her voice.

"Yeah because he became your little lap dog. Baz is out and now J is taking the spot" Pope said aloud which caught a glare from his brother. It was the truth and no one was blind to see it. It was the huge issue between Baz and Smurf, that was what made him want to band everyone together against her.

Looking at the others, Baz had sighed loudly. He wasn't going to stop any of them from wanting to do it but he did want to discuss it with all of them. "Let's go to the bar, we'll talk about it there"

Smurf had a blink then sharply snapped her head towards her other children in order to read their faces. Playing follow the leader however, Baz had stood up and offered to take Jessica to her apartment in order for her to change out of her clothes. Pope had wanted to discuss things as well at it was Deran's bar so he was willing to hear them out. Craig still would have done it but he was going to go with them. Watching all of her children leave, Smurf knew they would come to the right conclusion, she just had to wait.

Piling in at a table at the bar, each of them had taken their seat. Jessica was in the bathroom freshening up because Baz wasn't waiting for her to put herself together to just go there. Feeling fresh faced finally, she reappeared in simple ripped jeans and a black t-shirt. Ruffling her hair from her bun, her waves came out and she looked between all of them who were staring.

"I know I took longer than I expected but my make-up needed done so excuse me. You all want to try my routine?" She asked reached for a shot that was in the middle of the table. Narrowing her blue eyes at Baz, Jessica slapped his hand away before he could stop her from drinking it.

Catching a faint laugh from Deran, he had closed the bar early in order for them to talk. Huddled around, they waited for someone to speak first and of course it was Baz.

"What is everyone ones opinion? We already heard from Craig and Jess so I want to know what you guys think"

"For me it's going to help change this place around. I used most of the church money in order to buy this place and it would just help me in the long run" Deran commented then took his shot of bourbon that he poured.

Pope didn't have much of an opinion on it at the moment. "Whatever you guys decide I'm in" He didn't really want to do another risky job considering the church heist was huge but he would help his siblings if they needed. "What do you think we should do?"

"I don't know, we do this and you know she's going to go back to planning every job from this point on. Besides that, J is already in and I can see this starting issues. Who knows, maybe she wants him to watch everything we're doing"

They hadn't invited J because they all felt that they didn't need to talk to him. He was going to say yes from the get go and they wanted to discuss it between one another. All of the Cody's had their thoughts about J and it was somewhere split in the middle. Baz clearly didn't trust him, Pope seemed to lie in the middle, Craig and Deran didn't mind the kid and Jessica just felt sorry for him.

"So is that a yes or no?" Craig asked staring at his older brother.

Baz had a few more minutes to think it over and decided on what he thought was best. He agreed to do it not only for the money but because everyone had been inching towards doing so. Jessica had even changed her mind at some point after they continued to talk about money.

"I ran into Javi today, well actually he ran into me" Baz commented once they were done talking about Smurf. Turning all of their eyes towards him, he continued on. " He caught me when I went to pick Jessica up and I really think he's going to keep hanging around longer than we think"

"Told you so…"Jessica answered remembering the many conversations she had with him. "And apparently he keeps bringing me up and I don't know why"

"He probably wants to bang you again" Craig said getting up to get him a beer. "What? He obviously still wants you if he's talking about you to Baz"

Rolling her eyes at his remark, Jessica didn't believe that was the reason why. "All I was saying is he keeps bringing me up. He went off on me when I took Lena to the beach about Smurf owing him money"

"When did this happen?" Baz inquired turning in his seat to face her. It was concerning to him that he had confronted her and it so happened while she was watching his daughter.

"The same day you decided to blow up on me and I left. He caught me on the beach which I had already told you but it must have slipped your mind when you told me how much I have sucky parents" Jessica replied looking back at him. That comment hadn't left her mind and she continued to push the thought away.

The room had gotten silent after her sentence and the Cody brothers had stared for a moment before looking elsewhere. Deran watched them mostly remembering the night when she came to the bar and started talking to him.

"The plan is the check out the place tomorrow and we'll go Thursday" He told everyone not answering her.

After a whole two days, the Cody family had gotten together in order to pull of the job that Smurf had wanted. J was assigned to be the lookout and sat in a black truck for the entire job. Deran and Craig were in an underground alley waiting for Pope and Baz to get the safe to them in order to get out on their four wheelers. Pope had snuck in through the back while Baz and Jessica were pretending to be viewing the brewery with a handful of people. Jessica's job was to make sure the man who worked there was constantly distracted and for her to keep her eyes on him while Baz helped Pope.

After all the hassle they went through, they met at an empty building that the family had in their possession. Jessica was shoving Deran down in a chair while holding her hand on his cheek. "What happened?"

"Some guy came out of nowhere and I ended up wiping out on the bike. Pope was with me, ask him"

Grabbing some gauze from the box, Jessica had whipped around to watch her brothers come in with the safe. "Do I need to check you out?" Shaking his head no, Pope was more concerned with getting it open to see all the money. They had almost gotten caught but J used his quick thinking to start a fire in order for everyone else to get out.

Deran had yelled at his sister when she dabbed something on it that he couldn't make out. Sitting down and crossing her legs next to him, she shushed him before reaching into her box again. "You don't want it to get infected like J's leg, do you? You probably going to bruise a little under your eye"

The youngest brother had a huge gash next to his right eye that had been bleeding. After falling off the bike, Deran had rolled around on the cement which led to his eye being busted open. It wasn't too bad where it would leave a major bruise, but it was going to hurt for a while.

"My eye isn't going to be swollen shut right?" Deran asked turning his head towards her but she pushed his head back forward.

"Quit moving and no. You scraped all the skin off which obviously means you're bleeding but that means its going to scab up and it might leave a scar for all I know. You did a good job on it so I'm going to guess that it will turn a little purple around the edges. Do you want my eye shadow to match the other eye?" Jessica joked while continuing to patch it up. She only had taped the gauze on for now as he needed ice in order for it to go down.

"What's inside?" Craig asked watching Pope begin digging in the safe. The two blondes had turned their attention to him watching as well.

Pope had pulled out a stack of money but it was nowhere near what Smurf had told them. Tossing another stack of twenties onto the floor, he plopped down and rubbed his head.

"You've got to be kidding me, that's it? We went in there for what? A thousand dollars?" Baz said angrily bending down and picking up the money.

"I busted my face open for that?" Deran said in disbelief slowly standing up to look himself.

Shutting her first aid kit, Jessica could see and hear the anger, disappointment and confusion on with her brothers and her nephew.

"It was a test" She said mostly to herself but they had looked at her to figure out what she said.

"What was a test? A thousand dollars?" Craig said falling back into an empty chair visibly irritated.

Shaking her head faintly, she spoke again. "You know Smurf, she lied to us. She knew there was no money to be made but a thousand dollars. She wanted us to go to a job with her being in on it so we end up looking like idiots and trusting her"

"Oh this really makes us trust her now" Deran said heading towards the main door.

J was listening to his Aunt know she was on the right track. He had thought there was money inside even though he knew exactly what Smurf was up to. She had told him up front the idea but she didn't tell him that she lied about the money.

"No, she wanted us to work together as family in order for us to run back to her. We all showed up, we are all going to go back and having a screaming match but then what? Think about it, she's got us right where she wants us. Take my word for it"


	17. You, me, I and We

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Boys and Jessica confront Smurf

The Cody siblings had waited all day in order to confront Smurf. Baz was just as mad as the others but he wanted everyone to go into her home with a level head. They were all furious that she had sent them to a job without that good of money, but they had to be calm about it.

They all had split up for the rest of the day to carry on with whatever they wanted. The reason for it as well was because they wanted Smurf to be let on because she had been calling them left and right. She was dying to know how much money they had stole and how smooth it had gone. Leaving her hanging was something that they had constantly been doing, especially after the church. She knew they were the ones who pulled it off yet wasn't receiving any money.

After cooling down, they waited until dinner time where Smurf more than likely had made a celebratory dinner. They all were unaware if she knew that they didn't get any money and it was going to be a fight once they stepped inside.

"Everyone is showing up right?" Deran asked folding his arms and leaning against his green jeep.

"They better because I'm missing a killer party with Renn" Craig responded back.

"Well they better because I have more important things to do than sit around here and yell at our Mother because she decided to screw us over once again" Even though all of them had equally been angry with Smurf, but Deran was not in the mood to hear her excuses.

Headlights had appeared on their faces and both Cody brothers had shielded their eyes. A blue jeep come into view and Jessica slowly pulled next to Deran's car. Craig had stepped away from his bike and walked closer. Stopping the car, she lifted herself through the roof of her car as she had the top off.

"I thought everyone was going to be here at eight?" She said before bending back down to turn her engine off.

"We're here so now we just have to wait for Baz and Pope" Deran said once she hopped out.

"I swear to God this family is never on time. I'm always here early and the only time everyone is together is a job. Next time I'm not going to rush being ten minutes late"

Glancing at the time on her phone, Jessica knew she was late but she assumed everyone else was there. As five minutes past, Baz had finally pulled it much to the irritation of the other three. He had informed them that Pope was possibly not coming for unknown reasons. They decided to wait at least another ten and right as they were ready to step inside, a familiar black truck showed up.

"Hey, I'm glad you showed. We didn't think you'd show up" Baz said honestly believing that Pope wasn't going to come.

"I have Lena, I had to" He responded moving to the backseat and opening the door for her to hop out. That action caught Baz off guard and made Jessica slowly turn her head in his direction.

"Right…So we're all on the same page right?"

None of the Cody's had any questions but some of them didn't know what the point of this was going to be. Smurf wasn't going to own up or agree to anything they were saying and Deran felt it was honestly pointless. In Baz's mind it was to show how fed up with her trying to prove that she was the one in charge. He was on a mission to try and grab the family by the reigns and she was getting in the middle. As Pope guided Lena inside, the other brothers followed. Jessica threw her arm out, placing her palm on Baz's chest.

"You didn't know she was with him, did you?" Jessica asked keeping her eyes locked on him. She had been a constant reminder that he needed to take care of his daughter.

Baz had his hands tucked inside of his leather jacket and shrugged, practically pulling his hands. "I don't know what you want me to do Jess"

Blinking at least twice, his asshole side was beginning to show again. "Maybe actually watch her instead of pinning her on your brother…You really are gunning for father of the year, aren't you?" Jessica had muttered the last part before walking into the house.

Everyone had gathered into the kitchen where Smurf had begun cutting pieces of her famous apple pie. Once they stepped inside, she had a faint smile on her face. "I take it the job went well?" She asked since she didn't hear anything since they completed the job. J hadn't given her much information so she had been left in the dark.

Baz had dug into his jacket and pulled the little bit of money they received and threw it onto the island counter. Smurf had been cutting another piece of pie and stopped when she say the wade of cash. "What is that?"

"It's what we got out of the safe, the same safe you said had thousands of dollars in. There's less than five thousand there" He spoke watching her.

Wiping her hands off in a towel, she grabbed the two stacks and flipped through it. "I don't understand…There was supposed to be a lot of money in there" She said before looking up at her children and grandchild who had just entered from the backyard. The surprised look was apparent on her face as she glanced at each and every one of them.

"Except there wasn't so who lied to you?" Pope asked but Smurf had fixed her attention on Deran's who face didn't have a bandage and he was rocking his wound.

He was staring back at her before looking away with the shake of his head. "The plan didn't go so smooth like you thought and I ended up wiping out on the bike…You know what? She's going to deny all of this so I don't even know why I came, I'm out"

All of them had looked at their younger brother who backed away from everyone and quickly headed out. He had been having a problem with Smurf for a while but most of them didn't know the extent of why. It had stemmed back from the night of his bar and the whole fiasco that happened.

"What happened Smurf? Where's all the money we were supposed to get?" Baz asked.

"It should have been there. It's always in there on Tuesday through Thursday, gets taken out on Friday so that makes today…"

Pope had quickly cut her off. "Friday night. So the money was taken out of there this morning to the bank and we showed up after it was gone" Growing irritated all over again, Pope backed away to the living area.

Craig went for the refrigerator, grabbed a beer and a plate before disappearing. Clearly Smurf was in the wrong but she was going to come up with something to dig herself out of the hole. Baz had placed his hands behind his head before walking outside. Jessica and J exchanged glances and he ended up staying in place by the table. She however reached forward and grabbed a plate. Taking a seat at the island, Jessica quietly dug into the pie as Smurf carried on.

Smurf had showed up at the Oceanside Clinic around ten in the morning the next day. With her purse around one shoulder and in her hand a bag carrying lunch, she stepped inside and slipped her sunglasses off. She paused at the front door and looked around the place. There were a few people sitting in the waiting room and a brunette female behind the desk. Walking closer, she smiled faintly and looked at her. "I'm looking for my daughter, Jessica Cody. I was told she works here"

The woman's whose nametag read Melissa looked away from the computer and at her. "She's currently with a patient doing a check-up. I'll let her know that you are here. You can have a seat over there until she's done"

Nodding, she grabbed her bag and took a seat far away from the other couple that was sitting there. It had been about five minutes before Jessica had stepped out, lead the couple to the front desk and paused when she saw Smurf. Placing her hands in her pockets, she made a confused face and walked over to her as she stood up.

"Look at this place and look at you. I always knew blue was your color" Smurf said with another faint smile on her lips.

"They're just navy scrubs and you did tell me to go to medical school so here I am. Why are you here? Feeling under the weather?" Jessica couldn't help but joke. It was the first time Smurf had ever visited her at work and was the first time she had ever stepped in the clinic.

"I had to see what my baby was up to and I thought you would like a piece of home. I made breakfast for J this morning and I thought you would like some" Holding the bag out, Jessica peeked inside out of curiosity.

Taking the bag with a wary expression, she had no idea what was going on. The last time she ever remembered her making breakfast especially for her had to be more than five years ago. Jessica did have to wonder why she was being treated so special until her mind wandered to last night. She had been the only one that stuck around all night because everyone else was still on the hate Smurf bandwagon. The safe job didn't matter much to her compared to everyone else and she didn't know why. Before Jessica came back into the fold, all her brothers were going downhill with her anyway.

"Um, thanks? I'm only here for a few more hours then I'm heading over to…" She caught herself realizing she was about to say she was going to be at Baz's. "I'm going surfing later" It had been the truth because she was going to go and meet up with him later.

"Oh you haven't gone in a while, you know that water missed you. You know, I remember when you were about thirteen and you would be on that beach until sun up to sun down. Deran learned how to surf because of you…What happened to those days?"

"We all grew up, well at least some of us did" Jessica was mostly referring to Craig but they all had their childish moments. "Look, I should get back to work. Thank you for this, I don't know why you went out of your way but thanks"

"It didn't cause me any trouble" Smurf said before smiling and giving her daughter a big hug. Jessica still had no idea what she was doing or why she was being so nice all of a sudden. The only thing that mattered was yesterday but it was a huge leap for Smurf to just lend a hand like that. "Tomorrow night I'm holding a dinner, see if you can get your brothers to come"

Once Jessica got out of the Clinic, she head straight to the beach. It had been a long time since she had gone surfing and it was a sport that she would love doing the rest of her life. Water, specifically the ocean was her home and no matter what trouble she had, the water seemed to clear it. It dawned on her while working that Smurf had been there that morning for Jessica to invite her siblings to dinner. More than likely they were not answering her phone calls or she wanted her to do the work anyway.

It had been pretty packed considering the temperature was reaching the high 80's but that didn't stop her from heading out. Without realizing it, Jessica had been gone around the beach for at least three hours. She had parked her jeep at Baz's because she was waiting for him to pick Lena up. Putting her foot down was one thing she always did with her family and she did it last night. Jessica had talked to Baz about keeping better tabs on Lena and he said he'd pick her up from school. She had a plan to take her to the beach before she went to bed and Jessica was dragging Baz with them.

Lena would be getting home soon and Jessica needed to change her clothes. Luckily she packed a bag of things and left them in the jeep. Heading towards Baz's home with her surf board tucked between her arm and side, she flicked her hair around with the other to get some of the water out. Jessica's feet were getting warm due to the sand but the street was probably going to be worse. Once she made her way to the sidewalk, she saw a familiar brunette getting out of a black car.

Before getting caught in any of the traffic, Jessica hopped along and ran across the street just in time as Lucy eyed up the jeep but stopped when she saw her.

"Hey…Sorry if I scared you. That car almost clipped me" Jessica said and turned around to see the car. Her wet hair was still dripping water and Jessica backed away to get the excess water out yet again.

Lucy smiled faintly and looked the girl over again. Jessica was in a skin tight black and pink wet suit that didn't match the white and sea green surfboard. She watched the Cody sister set it up on the porch before walking to the jeep for her bag. Things were still strange to her and she didn't exactly understand why Jessica had constantly been around lately. When Baz had told her that they couldn't see each other anymore, Lucy didn't get any answer but she was starting to be suspicious.

"I was just coming to see Baz if he is here, my brother Marco has something for him"

Jessica was digging through her trunk when she stopped to peek around the corner. "Oh, I didn't know you were related to Marco, small world I guess" Closing it, she threw the bag towards the steps as Lucy moved out of the way. "No, he went to pick up his daughter from school for the first time in his life" She joked.

"He's actually doing that and not his brother?"

Nodding faintly, Jessica responded, "Well it's depressing that you know the situation but I got on him for that. He needs to spend more time with her and I suppose you agree with me"

Smiling slightly again, Lucy had nodded at her words. She had told Baz numerous times just like Jessica had but over course all the comments went right over his head. It was a shame that Lucy knew the whole situation and Jessica had found out that she had a son as well. Even though she knew Marco due to Craig and Deran, she didn't hang out with him nor did she know that he had a sister.

"You can come in and wait for him if you'd like. I just gotta change and do some things around here but you're more than welcome to stay. If not, I'll let him know that you stopped by"

It was also confusing to Lucy on why Jessica seemed to be so nice to her. If they had been sleeping and dating the same guy, the two women more than likely would have hated each other. Jessica however was not a jealous person when it came to relationships. She had waited forever while Catherine was in the picture and Jessica couldn't stop Baz from doing what he wanted or he chose. In actuality, Lucy didn't bother her but there was a weird feeling in the air.

"I actually have to get going but I would appreciate it if you would tell him"

With another simple nod, Jessica had picked up her and mocked a salute in order to give him the message. Walking up the stairs to the house, Lucy began walking away before stopping at the edge of her jeep.

"It's Jessica right?" The blonde had turned around at her name and answered her. Lucy took another moment then asked the question she had been wondering. "How close are you and Baz?"

It was evident that Lucy knew what had been going on between Baz and Jessica. Feeling caught off guard, she stared out towards the beach before looking back at the woman. She didn't answer her and Jessica calmly went inside without another word.

"Wait a minute, Smurf brought you breakfast? Did you even eat it?" Baz asked her finding Jessica's story humorous yet strange.

Nodding with a laugh, she answered. "Yes! She came in at like ten this morning, brought me breakfast, kissed me on top of it and asked to come over for dinner tomorrow"

The two of them had been sitting on a bench while Lena was off building a sand castle. Both of them had been keeping a close eye on her while they were catching up on what happened during their day. Baz was surprised by her story but couldn't help but get a laugh out of it. "You better hope it wasn't poisoned"

"Do you really think my own Mother would poison me?" She asked looking away from the ocean and towards him. Jessica had slapped his arm faintly for putting that thought in her head. "Then again, I shouldn't be so surprised…Come to think of it, remember when she used to put those pills in Pope's food?"

"Don't worry, she still does" Smurf had been doing in a while back but it seemed that she had cut down on it in the recent months. Everyone knew but Pope and it was a well-kept secret within the family.

Once Jessica looked away and back towards the water, Baz had been glancing her over. After taking a quick shower, she had gotten dressed in a quick manner before the two of them had came back from school. She wore jeans that were filled with a variety of holes and topped it off with a off the shoulder, cream colored sweater. Jessica's hair was down for once hanging down in beach waves and she wore a blue gemstone necklace. She had been sitting with her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Baz had looked her up and down before reaching for her hand.

"What do you think you're doing? I thought you didn't want to do anything in public?" She asked letting him take her hand.

"Who's going to see out here besides Lena? I'm pretty sure she's getting an idea of what's going on, I don't know what I'd do without you" Tilting her head at him with a smile, things had been looking up as of late.

Considering that both of them were older and that they didn't have anything holding them back was different for them. On Baz's part, he had always been around another female whether that meant Julia, Catherine or someone else who had always been in the picture. Besides Jessica keeping her distance not only from him but as well as the family, he wasn't always fond of her while she was on drugs. Even though she seemed put together now, when she was on drugs it was a whole other woman.

"You'd be exactly where you are just without me, that romantic stuff doesn't work on me Baz" Jessica knew that he could charm the pants off of anyone.

"It did the other night" He said with a grin and she had to roll her eyes with a laugh. Baz had watched her shift on the bench and face him. Her legs had been pressed against the side of the wooden bench, her arm resting on it and she put her head in her hand. "What's wrong?"

Baz had noticed since they had got there that something was bothering her. Jessica hadn't said anything but her mind had been racing and it was clear on her face and through her body actions. "I've just got something on my mind that I haven't been able to get out. It um…" Jessica had sighed and lifted her head. "I should have been more honest with you back then"

Narrowing his eyes at her, Baz had no idea what she was talking about. "Honest about what? Don't tell me that Max is back in town because Pope and I practically put him on his death bed last time"

Shaking her head, Jessica quickly disagreed. "No, it's nothing about Max" Max had been a guy that Jessica had been seeing for at least six months and it was around the time that he and Catherine had split up for a while. They all had gone surfing together and that's when they noticed her covered in bruises. It had come to light that Max had been beating Jessica up and they had taken the problem up in their own hands.

"Jess, what is it? If it's about Smurf or if you have a problem with me, I can back off if you need me to" He commented trying to figure out what it could be.

"No, I don't want you to back off, we finally have the chance to actually be something but…" Taking another deep breath, Jessica had thought things over trying to figure out how to word this. "Um…Let's just save this conversation for another night"

Shaking his head in disagreement, Baz knew better. "You were the one who brought it up. What's going on Jessica? You can trust me"

There had been a huge secret that Jessica had been hiding from him for years and it would linger in her mind from time to time. Being around Lena and staying around him had brought it forward more but there wasn't anything she could exactly say. It was hard for her and it would be hard for him as well. Before she could answer, Lena had ran up to them.

"Can we get some ice cream?" She asked sweetly and looked between them.

"Maybe another night Lena" Baz told her but Jessica wasn't having it.

"Of course we can…It's not going to kill you. How about we go get your jacket and try that new ice cream place that just came in?" Smiling, Lena had hugged Jessica faintly before tugging on their hands in order to get them to move.

She had been in front of them but stayed close to them as they crossed the street. Jessica was thankful she ran over because this was an excuse to avoid having the conversation she didn't want to have. Baz however didn't want to let it go considering he knew it had something to do with him. He still didn't have any idea of what it could be and it would bother him for a while.

"Once she gets you bed, you and I are having a long talk" He said quietly leaning in her direction.

"Too bad, I told Deran was stopping by tonight so your mind can wonder for a while"

Jessica had stayed after ice cream in order to get Lena to bed. She actually wanted to run away quickly but she wanted her to help Baz. Luckily for her, Pope had showed up and kept Baz distracted while she ducked away and out to the bar.

For a Thursday night it had been semi packed but there had been enough open spots at the bar. Jessica loved sitting there in order to watch and talk to her baby brother. It was just something she never thought Deran would do considering he had always been attached to Smurf at the hip. She had more than happy that he branched away from her because she had felt like the lone wolf in the situation.

"You better hope she didn't poison the eggs or anything" Deran told her after she had told him that Smurf had brought her breakfast.

"Okay Baz Jr…You guys really think she would poison food? I get she hates me and everything but I really don't think she'd commit murder against her children, right?"

Giving her a skeptical look, Deran believed that she would do it if she had secretly crushed pills in Pope's food. It made Jessica even more paranoid that two of them had said about it and that made her feel on edge. Smurf did say she made it for J or so she thought and that meant there couldn't have been anything wrong with the breakfast.

Sliding her a fancy drink, Jessica looked over the orange colored liquid before taking a drink. "What the hell is that? It taste like coconut and beach water" She shivered faintly and took a quick gulp of her water.

"I don't know, that guy over there asked me to make it and what do you know, I don't have the stuff. This is a bar with beer, not those drinks that have little umbrellas in them"

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a man sitting in the corner with a faint smile on his face. Jessica had no idea who he was nor did she want to know why he was buying her a drink. Turning back around, Deran had been standing there wiping the bar down.

Brushing the man from her mind, she grabbed her necklace and played with it for a second. "If I tell you something personal, you would keep it a secret right?"

Looking over at her, Deran had continued to wipe the bar down. "Sure, what's it about?"

"Like you completely swear that you would keep it a secret? Pinky promise and everything?"

"What are we, five?" He fired back remembering when they were kids that the Cody's used to do that as a joke. Jessica seemed still on the matter so he stopped what he was doing and held his hand out.

Smiling, she had hooked he pinky with his then shooed him away before anyone could see. Jessica knew Deran would be embarrassed to be caught doing that. "Okay…So remember that time that Smurf kicked me out and I didn't come home for almost a year. Well technically she let me come back after like six months but I kept staying away?" He had nodded listening. "Well…I had a reason I dropped out of school and everything"

Before Jessica could continue, the man from before had sat down next to her. Looking over sharply, he smirked again towards her. "You don't like the drink, do you?"

Shifting her eyes towards Deran, he threw his hands up and stepped away. He was curious to what was going and who the man was though he had a pretty good idea. Jessica had glanced at the drink and smiled politely before shaking her head no. "You don't know who I am, do you? Trey, Trey Walker"

Scoffing at him, Jessica couldn't believe her old boyfriend from high school was sitting next to her, buying her a drink and making conversation. Nothing really happened between that was bad but Smurf didn't like how much of a good boy he was in her eyes.

She called Deran back over because it dawned on her that he must have had a crush on him. It was just part of the fun and Jessica was going to get a kick out of it. As they made meaningless conversation, Baz had appeared out of nowhere much to her surprise.

"Hey…" She said letting her words linger and looking to her right to see him. Noticing Trey, Baz had slipped his arm around her shoulders and nodded at him.

Taking the hint, Trey had never gotten along with Pope or Baz for that matter. Studying his actions weren't hard as Baz was clearly making his presence known. He had always done that because his ego wasn't going to lay down for no one. "We'll have to catch up time"

Jessica had agreed while having a nostalgic feeling run through her mind. After a few more words, he had left and Baz had taken his spot.

"You really had to do that, didn't you?" She asked him with faint annoyance in her voice. "Shouldn't you be home watching your child for one night?"

"Pope's with her so besides she's sleeping" He responded back while Deran grabbed him a beer.

Sighing heavily, Jessica spun back in her chair and rubbed her temples. She had been making progress with Lena but it had came crashing down because God forbid he actually take time to watch her. Gazing back towards him, she was giving him an irritated look.

"Oh come on. It's one night and you shouldn't have told me you were coming here because I wouldn't have followed. That was the whole point of you telling me, right?"

Deran once again had been keeping his distance but made casual looks their way. Even though the two of them had been keeping things on the low, he knew better and he knew that something had been going on. The others probably did as well but he was always going to look out for his sister. The Cody family had failed Julia and part of Deran felt guilty for that.

"We're in front of all these people and Deran's lurking around somewhere" Jessica said and Deran overheard it while passing through a group of people.

"So? You really think he's going to run to Smurf and tell her? The last thing he wants to do is go run to her" Baz replied leaning forward towards her.

"How do I know? He runs to her any other time to tell her what she wants to hear" She said.

Deran had snuck towards the kitchen while keeping his eye on them. Hearing her remarks made him question exactly what was going on. It wasn't anything that was insulting but it was something that bugged him. Baz and Jessica had been showing up together the last few days and that raised his suspicions already. The two of them had been doing their best to keep everything hidden but with the Cody family, no one could hide anything.

When Deran watched them look around the place, he knew they were looking for him so he ducked away again. Catching them together was one thing but catching them kiss was another. At that moment it seemed that things were going to change and worlds were going to shift.


	18. One for the Money

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smurf holds a family dinner for everyone

Jessica Cody had been getting ready in her apartment trying to figure out something to wear. It was the night that Smurf was holding yet again another dinner and it seemed like she was the only one going. She didn't want to be the only one but Smurf had been paying her a lot of attention lately. It was the little girl voice inside of her that had been screaming with joy.

It was apparent that Smurf and Jessica hadn't gotten along for a while and anyone could see it. The biggest problem was that she had been a female and was treated the same way that Julia had been. Her boys were more important which meant she had only been pushed off to the side. Without having a Father, Jessica had wanted a connection to a parent but had lacked in the department.

Smurf hadn't been the best one to get along with either because she felt that she was highly judged compared to the others. Craig and Deran had spent so much time living there and never received anything for it. However, Jessica had been kicked out and living on the streets because of an little incident. She felt that no matter what she did, Smurf wasn't going to accept her as a daughter. Jessica knew that she was always welcome but she would never get the benefit of the doubt in anything she did.

Dialing Pope's number, Jessica was wiggling her way into her light blue jean capris. She was on a mission to get at least one brother to go and she was starting at the top of the pile. Hearing a click, Jessica wasted no time talking.

"Please tell me your coming to Smurf's tonight?" She asked while reaching for her t-shirt. Jessica had been paring it with a vintage 1970's t-shirt that had been yellow with an navy arm and neckline. California was read across the chest with a beach backdrop including a palm tree and waves in navy blue as well.

"Didn't you already ask me? The answer is no" Pope responded back. She had asked him at least twice yesterday and he should have known that she'd ask again.

"Oh come on, don't make me go by myself. I don't want to sit there with two teenagers and her…Besides, what are you even doing tonight? Nothing I'm sure"

"Then why are you going? No one else is so why go out of your way?" He had said aloud even though he wondered it. "Amy invited me to this play thing from the church and I'm taking Lena"

Jessica rolled her eyes while throwing her shirt on. "Does Baz ever have her and how many times do I have to get on his ass for it? Look, you and Lena can come here and spend time with me. Doesn't that sound better? Brother and sister bonding time right?"

"No means no Jessica" Without saying anything else, she heard the line go dead and Pope hung up. Sighing heavily, she began to dial the next number on the list.

Baz hadn't picked up so she dialed him again. Hopping over to her dresser, she slid on a couple of bracelets, a necklace and clasped her ankle bracelet closed. After him not answering again, it was time to turn to Craig. She wanted to stop by and see Deran because she thought she'd be able to convince him in person.

Walking out into the living area, she ripped her keys off of the countertop and jogged down the stairs to her car. Jumping it, Jessica was praying that he would answer. If he didn't, she was going to leave a voicemail that wasn't nice.

Even though Jessica and Craig were semi close in age, they had an interesting and complicated relationship. It was hard for her to be around him when all he ever wanted to do was drugs most of the time. He was known to be the party animal and so was she at many points in her life. When she was clean, Jessica wasn't the go lucky party girl that was always dancing somewhere. Craig had always believed that she felt better than him and the others considering she had an actual job and life outside of the family.

Not waiting for him to answer hello, Jessica had did the same thing to Craig as she did to Pope. "Are you coming to the dinner at Smurf's tonight?"

She listened to him silence someone who she knew was not Nicky. "Um, no? No one is going…Wait, you are?"

"Well I am but I don't want to be the only one. Baz won't answer, Pope's taking Lena to some church thing and I'm riding solo"

"Is Deran going? I'm kinda tied up right now" Jessica knew exactly what that meant.

"You mean your snorting God knows how much coke and screwing some girl you met on the beach who isn't jailbait…Maybe Nicky will be there so you can stop playing preschool with the girl and breakup with her. As for D, I'm going to ask him now"

"Well you tell me if he's going and I'll think about it. If he's not then I'm out"

Again before Jessica could say anything else, the line clicked and it was dead. Tossing the phone onto the passenger seat, she made her way to The Drop as if she didn't spend enough time there already. As she circled around the area for a parking spot, Jessica noticed a familiar car and that put her in a mood.

Marching towards the door, the opened it and glanced around. Now walking in strides again, she put her hands on her hips as she walked over to the bar. "Why didn't you answer your phone?"

Baz had been leaning on the bar talking to Deran when they both snapped their heads towards her. He had clearly looked surprised to see her and she cocked her head sideways with a faint smile.

"I left my phone in the car…I thought you were going to Smurf's?" Baz questioned.

"I am and I was calling to see if you were going thank you…Turn around" She said crossing her arms. Raising an eyebrow, he had no idea what she was freaking out over. "Turn around Baz"

Giving Deran a look, he sighed heavily and turned around like she asked. Jessica had moved around one of the stools and placed her hands on his shoulder. She moved them down as if she was a police officer and began patting him down for his phone. Not believing him, Jessica was aware that he had been avoiding the calls. Sure she had been freaking out but that was because she was nervous. Things were going well with Smurf lately and she didn't want that ruined.

Once she reached his front pockets, she placed her hands on them. Baz reacted and put his on top of hers, preventing her from getting his phone from his pocket. "What are you doing?"

"I'm proving my point that you are lying, you've always been a good liar" She said removing her hands and letting him turn around. "You could have sent a text and told me you weren't going instead of ignoring me"

"Why are you freaking out? I told you yesterday that I wasn't going, I have things to do tonight. You're acting like a crazy girlfriend" The last part had slipped out but Deran didn't seem to notice.

Placing her hand on the bar, Jessica leaned on it. "I'm sorry, what did you say? I would like someone to have my back for once. Please just go with me"

Shaking his head faintly, Baz had to laugh. Jessica had been acting crazy and it couldn't have just been Smurf's dinner that was pushing her over the edge. He didn't understand why she was going to such lengths to be overdramatic.

Turning around to glance at the clock on the wall, Baz knew he had to be leaving. "Look, I have to go. Call me tomorrow and tell me how it went. I don't want to see Smurf nor do I want to go over there"

He parted with the Cody siblings and didn't hear Jessica yell out, "Is that why you never go pick up Lena?"

Deran had been completely clueless onto what everything transpired. He knew all about the dinner but had no idea that Jessica was going. Craig brought it up before but he half of the time didn't pay much attention to what he said. He kept silent but Jessica was bond to break it at any second.

"Where is he going anyway?" She asked turning back around to face him.

Shrugging, he answered, "I don't know. He said something about Lucy was up here and wanted to see him for the hell if I know"

Baz had told Deran that he did do business with Marco but it all came down to a bracelet of some sort. He didn't know the degree of their meeting and since it didn't involve him, he really didn't care. At the same time, Deran didn't know the nature of anyone's relationship.

Jessica had bit her lip for a second and glanced back over to the front door. "He's meeting up with Lucy?"

"I mean that's what he told me…Something about Marco and money" Deran had noticed the look on her face and he knew it well. The way her mouth stayed in a straight line, her eyes had focused on something, Jessica did it often when she was disappointed. "I'm sure it's nothing major or anything"

Deran had tried covering what he was saying but she was already clearly effected. Jessica didn't think Lucy would be an issue but Baz wasn't a one woman person. There had been a part of her that would change that about him but apparently she guessed wrong.

Taking a deep breath, Jessica smiled widely and blinked, "You already know what I'm going to ask and I want the answer to be yes" Her eyes slowly going his way.

"You know I can't just leave the bar, who's going to run it? I can't trust Melissa, she's just a bartender" Even though he had gotten along with her well he could just put the business in her hands.

"Please, I never ask for anything but give me this one time" She sighed and leaned on the bar closer to him. "I want this to be okay, I want to feel like I'm part of the family again. I want to finally have a relationship with my Mother considering I've hardly had one. I just want someone to be there with me"

"I can't leave Jess…I have the bar to run and I have no one else to watch it. Everything will be fine, just be you I guess"

Next thing Jessica knew, she was pulling into Smurf's driveway and parking her light blue Jeep. She grabbed a navy scrunchie from her wrist and tied her hair up in a messy bun. It may have been simple and having dinner with parents but for Jessica it was different. She strived to please Smurf but it always ended in disaster. Her relationship with Baz was tempted to ruin it but she was hoping she could balance both with ease.

Walking inside, it was quiet as usual and she made her way into the kitchen. Smurf was standing at the stove but seemed to hear her step forward. "I was afraid you weren't coming, everything will be ready in a few minutes. J and Nicky are outside if you want to see them. Are your brothers coming?"

Jessica didn't have the heart to tell her they weren't because it would ruin her mood for the rest of the night. "Um, I'm not sure. Deran said if he could get out of the bar for a while but I haven't talked to the others"

It was silent for the rest of the time Jessica was standing there. She wondered if Smurf already knew they weren't coming and she was in a bad mood. Without another word, she opened the patio door and stepped out into the cool air. She regretted not bringing a jacket and was tempted to ask Nicky for one of hers.

"Hey…What are you two up to?" She asked once she reached the table. J and Nicky had been moving some patio chairs around in the back.

"Smurf wanted us to get all of the leaves out of the pool and around it. Is Craig coming?" Nicky was the first to say anything between her and J.

Shaking her head faintly, she took a seat at the table. Jessica had sat with her back towards the house in order to watch the kids. "I used to have to do that with Deran all the time. The others used to run away before any chores so to speak could be done and I ended up with them"

"That's why you're the responsible one" J commented meaning it as a joke even though it did seem like the truth, well mostly the truth.

"Dinner's ready, I hope everyone is hungry. I made my famous spaghetti recipe that you all seemed to love as kids" Smurf had stepped out of the house with a large bowl of noodles. Two seconds later she disappeared back inside for the sauce.

She ran inside once again to get drinks while the three had helped themselves to the dinner. Jessica had made her plate while momentarily pausing to check it over. Baz and Deran's words still haunted her and she look up to see J. He and Nicky had been on the opposite side.

"Did you eat the breakfast she made yesterday?" She asked calmly.

J had nodded grabbing his fork. "Yeah, did you have some?"

She shook her head yes slowly and spoke, "Deran and Baz thought it would be clever to convince that she poisoned it. At least I know if I die then you are tagging along with me"

Nicky had laughed faintly then realized she was serious. J and Nicky had been spending more time together and it began questioning her relationship with Craig. He didn't really seem to care for her the way she wanted him to. She had looked between the family and cleared her throat once Smurf stepped back out. She had smiled at everyone while handing out their glasses.

All of them had started eating without much conversation. Smurf had looked between all of them waiting for one to say something but engaged a conversation first. "What's with all the new tattoos?" She asked looking Jessica's way.

She had just taken a drink of water before glancing towards her. "I know you told me to stick with the two I had but I wanted more so that's what I did"

"I've just noticed that you've added more since I last saw you…That makes how many now? I think they add a nice touch though I wish you would add some more color to them"

Almost every year Jessica had added at least one or two more tattoos. Last time she had checked it was twelve but half of the time she ended up missing one. They were mostly all over her arms but she had one towards her ankle of beach waves and she had two hearts connected together on her left hip bone.

"Do they hurt?" Nicky asked leaning slightly on the table to get a better view. She had saw her tattoos on display before but she was still curious. "I've always wanted one but I don't know if I could handle it"

"Well it depends on where you get them but none of these hurt. Now the one on my hip was killer but all of these are fine. I still plan on adding a couple more"

All of them had been black and white except for the pink lotus flower on her shoulder. The feather with birds flying away on her back shoulder was her new addition and resembled her life. Jessica's ink ranged from a seashell, a crescent moon, two more flowers appearing on her wrist and forearm, a butterfly, a palm tree, a quote and roman numerals.

"Do you have any tattoos?" Jessica asked J. He didn't seem like the type but she still didn't know much about her nephew.

"No, I never really thought about getting them. I wanted to get one for my Mom but I never really had the chance" He wasn't going to admit it but he just had a phobia of needles. After watching Julia numerous times with drugs, he was really put off by them. J could see a lot of Julia in Jessica and he was surprised that she didn't feel the same way he did.

That made everyone go quiet and now things became awkward. He was still resentful that the Cody family didn't pay much respect to his mother and they seem to avoid her every single time. Jessica was still upset that she wasn't at the funeral nor does she know that she had passed. Smurf was good at keeping things under control and Julia was hardly ever spoken about.

"I remember when you always used to look up to your sister. Before she started hanging around Pope and Baz you were always with her. Julie used to love having a little sister to follow her around and I can remember her taking you to the beach. It wasn't until she got wrapped up in drugs that things started changing and Julia had to leave"

J had questions of his own wondering where his Mother fit into the family. Hearing Smurf talk about her was strange and he still didn't understand the resentment that everyone seemed to have. Jessica was the only one that brought her up and seem to care for her sister. He still remembered the story she told him of when they got kicked out and blaming Smurf would only eat him up on the inside.

"Is that why you kicked my mom out?" J asked hardly raising his voice. Jessica nearly froze place when she heard the question. He knew all about what had happened but he still seemed to be prying an old wounds. "From the story I heard my mom and Jessica were both kicked out because you caught them both sleeping with Baz"

Now it was Nicky's turn to stop and place and look between everyone at the table, "Wait a minute are you serious?"

Smurf had been completely caught off guard and wondered who was the one who told him the story. Jessica began eating a bit faster and it was obvious that she would have been the one. The tension that always rose when Julia's name didn't make sense but J wanted to know more. It wasn't like it was a huge secret in the family but she didn't want to be confronted.

Clearing her throat, Smurf had shimmed in her seat before sitting up straighter. "What happened was years ago and it was something that needed to be done" She simply said without saying anything else. Smurf didn't need to explain her actions to anyone, especially to her grandson.

Silence had filled the air again where no one said another word. Smurf had been irritated that the boys weren't there to begin with and now the last thing she needed was J questioning her. After everyone had finished, Smurf had told them that she made dessert and it was in the refrigerator. After handing out her famous apple pie that she made again, she grabbed her car keys and left.

That left J, Nicky and Jessica in the house by themselves. She didn't want to be stuck with two teenagers but she really didn't want to go back to her apartment either. Everyone seemed to be doing their own thing and she didn't want to hang out at the bar. Besides that, Jessica still had her mind on Baz and Lucy. It bothered her that he had hit it from her rather than telling her himself. It wasn't that she was jealous, Jessica just didn't want to be made a fool of.

J had promised to help Nicky with her chemistry homework and they were tucked away in his bedroom. That left Jessica in the kitchen eating the rest of her dessert before heading into his room. "Do you mind if I come and sit in here with you guys for awhile?"

"Anything that keeps me from doing this homework chemistry is the worst" Nicky responded even though J knew exactly what he was doing.

Jessica wasn't in A-plus student when she went to school but she still had better grades than most of them. None of the Cody's had graduated high school and J looked like the only one who was willing to graduate. He didn't have much time left because he was allowed to graduate early for having good grades.

"It's really not that bad, you're just not paying any attention in class" He told her which got a faint laugh from Jessica.

"You know, I used to tell Deran and Craig that all the time. I used to help Deran with his homework half of the time until I dropped out and he followed shortly after I think" Jessica said sitting on the edge of the bed where Nicky and J were.

"You dropped out? I thought you were a nurse or whatever?" Nicky asked.

She had been glancing at the homework before looking at her. "Well I dropped out for reasons…That's when Smurf kicked me out along with other problems I had going for me.  
I eventually got my GED and went to a community college for the degree. By the way, I think number five is wrong"

J had blinked then quickly looked back down at the paper. Jessica in fact was right and he had only been a few numbers off from what he had. The two had gotten along and it was refreshing that she kept it straight with him.

"Also, you want to graduate and actually make something of yourself. I hope you both look into college because you don't want to end up living here for the rest of your lives, do you?" She said giving them a stern yet playful look.

Pulling her hair out of the bun, she ruffled her blonde locks when J had a question of his own. "What's the numbers mean?" He pointed to her inner arm which had the roman numerals inked.

She paused momentarily and slid the hair tie on her wrist. "It's a date that means something, November fifth is a birthday of someone who is no longer with us, past history"

J had realized how often Jessica would say something was old history when something was brought up. It was her way of getting around talking about it because she seemed to be good at hiding things as well as telling them. Jessica wasn't going to explain what they truly meant because it was something she only knew about and no one else had to.

"I should let you get back to your homework…I'll be in Deran's room so just yell if you need any help"

While waiting for Smurf to return, she decided she'd hang out in his room since she knew he still had a his video game hooked up. Maybe she'd lower his score on Call of Duty and he'll end up going off on her for it. She had also been ducking out to avoid further questions. "Oh by the way, Smurf isn't mad that you asked her that. You're the new favorite"

All of the Cody's including Baz knew that J had been slowly but surely replacing him. Baz and Smurf had been at odds for a while and J was willing to step into the spot. Once she left the room, Nicky had nudged J faintly telling him that he upset her by asking about the tattoo. It wasn't the truth but neither one knew that.

While J was helping Nicky with homework and Jessica was in the process of trying to survive in the video game, they had no idea that at least four men were snooping around in the backyard.

"I'm searching this place to find the money that is here and then we can move onto the bigger picture. You two go inside, we'll check out here"

Javi had reappeared on his mission to get the money that he had been craving. He had warned most of them that he wasn't going to stop until he got what he wanted and his mission had started.

J got up to get a glass of water and was standing near the kitchen isle when he saw something outside. He knew for a fact it wasn't any of the boys as they would have entered through the front door. As he approached the side door, a man had charged him from the side and knocked him down.

Dragging him through the patio door, Javi was near the pool and whipped around when he spotted him. "Well who do we have here? Is anyone else in the house?"

"I don't know, he was ready to come outside" The man had tossed him to the ground before kicking him sharply in the side.

Jessica had heard the noise but ignored it not thinking anything about it. It wasn't until she heard Nicky scream from the bed room that she paused the game and sat up quickly from his bed. Feeling her heart beat pound faster, she slid off the bed and stood there listening. Walking to the doorframe, Jessica placed her hands on the sides and poked her head out. After hearing what sounded like a lamp shatter, she knew something was going on. What she didn't know was how bad it was going to get.


	19. Four for the Fun...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Javi creates more chaos

Nicky had knocked over the lamp when she screamed after seeing J outside. She hadn't yelled that loud but enough for Jessica to hear because the rooms were close. She watched a man drag J outside and threw him onto the concrete before kicking him at least twice. Nicky had no idea if Jessica was okay and she was fearful to even leave the room.

J had been getting beat by Javi's men and Nicky couldn't watch it anymore. She hadn't heard any commotion going on so she was hoping everything was alright. Backing up to Craig's closet, she slowly stuck herself inside behind his clothes.

"Tell me kid, is anyone else in the house?" Javi asked him before sending the men inside.

J had been lying on his back holding his stomach wondering if his ribs where broken or not. His first concern was Nicky and Jessica being in the house because all of the guys had guns and he couldn't get off of the ground. Javi had bent down and grabbed him around the jaw tight. "I asked you a question…"

Taking a breath, he tried getting out of his grasp. "No…It's just me"

Looking up towards his guys, he nodded towards the kitchen and started making their way into the house. "Make sure no one else is inside, tear up anything and everything. We'll get the money tonight but make sure we don't have anyone hiding inside"

Slamming his head down, J had groaned in pain and Javi stood back up. He had ordered his other guy to come forward and keep his eye on the youngest Cody.

There had been a variety of different memories that were floating through Javi's head the second he stepped into the backyard to do this. Smurf had been a Mother figure to him when his Dad had hung around her. The second he was murdered, she had threw him out of the house without a second thought. The betrayal was what ate him alive not only at Smurf, but the rest of the family.

Even though he dated Jessica many years later, it was a constant reminder that he was still not part of the family like he had thought he was. Dating her made him feel that he could get back at Smurf and he would be included back in. The moment she went to rehab, they had broken up and Javi never saw her again.

Once Jessica stepped outside of the bedroom and into the hallway, she saw two guys step inside making her quickly back inside of the room. With the men standing in the kitchen, she had to cross through it in order to get to Craig's room. Listening for the footsteps, she ducked behind the bedroom door trying to figure out exactly where they were looking.

One of the men had peered into the room and she watched them through the crack between the wall and door. They really hadn't been checking the place thoroughly and had already focused their attention to the living room hallway. That gave Jessica the opportunity to run out and she made a break for the kitchen, ducking between the sink and kitchen island.

Turning around the corner, Jessica gazed out the patio door way and saw J on the ground with Javi and a random guy standing over him. Sighing heavily, she made a dash to Craig's room and stood next to the doorway in the room. "Nicky?" She whispered quietly making sure that the girl was in the room.

"Jessica?" She answered back with a shaky voice and cracked the closet door faintly. "Who are they? What's going on?"

Before Jessica could answer, she heard footsteps again and ducked again. She hoped that Craig's bed was tall enough to fit underneath but Jessica was a slim girl so it was an easy fit for her. She threw her arm out from under the bed to tell Nicky to close the door which she did before the two guys stepped inside.

Closing her blue grey eyes for a moment, Jessica opened them and watched a pair of feet step closer to the bed. After what felt like ten minutes, the men had left and she watched them step back outside.

Sliding out as gently as possible, Nicky had opened the closet door. "Are you okay?" Jessica asked standing up as the teenager gave her a hug, her whole body had been shaking.

"I watched J go the door and saw someone drag him outside. I noticed the guys out there beating him and I ran to the closet, I didn't know what else to do"

"You did the right thing" She told her while walking to the window to make sure J was still lying there. "Do you have your cellphone? I can call Pope or Baz and let them know what's going on"

Jessica's phone had been in Deran's old room and she didn't want to risk getting it. She'd have to pass the kitchen again for the shortcut and that was a huge risk considering the kitchen light was still on. At the same time, calling them could prove to be a bad idea.

"No, my phone is broken. I was going to get a new phone tomorrow…J might have his in here"

Nicky walked towards the bed and started picking up the school books and folders. Feeling all across the comforter, she was searching everywhere on it for the phone.

"Shit…J had it in his pocket" Jessica had watching Javi check him for anything and threw the phone inside of the pool. The two guys had grabbed him and drug him into the water which was not a good sign.

Turning away from the window, Jessica placed her hands on her forehead and pushed as hard as she could. She had no idea what to do because there was no way she could just go out there and confront Javi. If one of the Boys had been there the whole situation would have been different.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. I want you to hide in the closet or under the bed. Smurf keeps a gun in her room, I know exactly where it is. I'm going to go get it and I'll figure something out from there. Alright? Everything's going to be okay?"

Nicky had trusted Jessica completely considering she had been raised in the Cody family. After all, Jessica had been raised by Smurf and that spoke volumes. Being the daughter of Smurf meant she had to fight in order to get what she wanted and that is exactly what Jessica did her whole life.

"There's no one else in the house" One of the men said once they approached Javi.

"Are you positive? We don't need any screw ups to happen" He fired back taking his eyes off of J.

"We circled the whole place, it looks like the kid was doing homework by himself. No one is inside"

Nodding in agreement, Javi was trying to figure out his next plan of action. He wanted to leave a message and mark for Smurf to come home to. He had wished that she had been there to watch everything that was going to happen. Even though Javi just wanted the money, it didn't mean he couldn't do any damage in the process.

"So…I have a few questions to ask. You answer them correctly, you'll live. If you lie to me, well you don't want to know what's going to happen then"

Javi had ordered one of the men to join J and the other guy in the pool. Both had grabbed onto his arm tight and held him in place, halfway in and out of the water. Scratching his cheek for a second, he looked around the place.

"Is anyone supposed to come here tonight that I should know about?" He questioned making sure he didn't have a Cody brother hanging in the shadows.

"No…They're all out doing their own things. I'm the only one here"

The plan was every time J lied, Javi was going to dunk him in the water in order to get him to confess. It was near a water boarding scheme but he felt confident that it was going to work nicely. Staring intensely at J in order to read his face, he felt that it was an honest answer.

"Fair enough…I know you and your family robbed that church and took off with all that money. I know you all have got thousands upon thousands sitting somewhere. The reason I'm here is to avenge my Dad and get the money that should be mine. Where's the money J?"

Shifting his eyes in his direction, the money was split between everyone already. He had been hoping that Nicky and Jessica got out in order to get the Cody boys. "I don't know, it's not a done deal yet"

Watching him again, Javi had smirked, "Dunk him" He said calmly.

Before J could fight or even protest, the two men had shoved him forward and into the water. Some of it had been turning red due to bloody nose, lip and cut above the eye. Struggling in their grasp, he was trying not to panic but anyone's reaction would be to do so. Nodding again at them, the two men yanked him up with J gasping for air.

"See I don't really like that answer. I told you there would be consequences when you lie to me so how about I just ask a simpler question. Where does Smurf keep her money?"

Dragging Smurf into the mix was bound to happen and J was doing anything to protect the family. After gasping for more air, Javi had order them to dunk him once he got a large breath. J again had been struggling with the water splashing everywhere, fighting to survive. Walking over and bending down, Javi leaned forward and pulled him by his hair to lift his head.

"Where the fuck is the money J?" He said aggressively. Javi didn't have all night to do this and was more than ready to get what he wanted and leave.

J was breathing so heavily that he felt at that moment that he was going to die. Javi wasn't letting him get a chance to answer any question and he was going to struggle breathing every single time they put his head in the water. "Wait…Wait!" Feeling the men grip his arms tighter again, they shoved him into the water.

"What if this kid doesn't know anything?" The man on the sidelines asked.

"Oh trust me, he knows something. He's just not going to give up so easily" Pulling J by the hair again, he gripped his jaw like before. "Last time kid, where does she keep the money?"

"The house…" J spitted out still trying to breath. "She keeps it behind the dryer…A shoe box in her room…A storage unit, I can take you there. Please…"

Smiling widely, he let go of his face hard and stood back up. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it? All I had asked were some simple questions and if you wouldn't have lied, this wouldn't have happened. You two, check the bedroom, you check the dryer while I keep a eye on him…Throw him back in"

Before the men could through J into the pool completely however, Javi pulled a zip tie from his brown leather jacket and moved into the water. Trying to grab J's hands was a hassle as the youngest Cody still wasn't going down without a fight. Squirming in their arms, Javi had slipped his gun from his pants pocket and knocked J upside the head with it to get him to stop moving.

That had thrown the boy for a loop and his head had feel forward. Wrapping the zip tie around his wrist, he patted him on the back and the two men threw him into the pool. Doing exactly what Javi said, they crawled out of the water while the other looked around for the dryer.

Jessica had been horrified watching them dunk J in the water and her mind had finally set in that it was real. She had never been in a situation compared to brothers like this and she had to take action the best way she could. Slipping through the hallway, Jessica lightly ran into Smurf's bedroom.

When she was younger, Smurf had showed her where she hid the gun in her room for protection. Jessica hardly ever shot a gun but she knew the ins and outs of it. Hopping down to the floor, she looked underneath the bed for the black box. She had no choice but to reach as the light hardly highlighted the floor and Jessica didn't want to move the lamp in order to attract attention. Feeling all over the floor, she shifted to the other side and finally found the box.

Flipping the lid open, Jessica was staring at an Uzi pistol. Her problem now was that the gun had no clip inside of it and she had to resorted throwing Smurf's clothes around in the drawer next to her. Sighing in relief, she slid the clip inside and took a breath. Standing on the tip of her toes, she hung her head for a moment trying to process everything again.

"Well who do we have here?"

That snapped Jessica out of her thoughts as she stood back up in a flash. Pointing the gun towards them, she looked between the two men without anything to say.

"It looks like the boy lied out there, we have a girl with a gun on our hands" He spoke again with amusement in his voice. The two men didn't even flinch when she pointed it between them.

"A girl who will shoot your ass if you take one step near me. Throw your guns on the bed"

The two had exchanged laughs while looking at one another. "Look sweetheart, we're not letting anything up until we get the money. You wouldn't dare to shoot because the kid out there will get a bullet to the head. You put the gun down and everything will end fine"

Jessica had been keeping her eyes locked on them as she pressed her back up against the dresser. She had been glad it wasn't Nicky in her position because the girl would not know how to fire a gun. The boys all had shown her the ropes and Jessica wasn't backing down for anyone.

"What happens when I put the gun down? You two tackle me and tie me up so I can be damsel in distress? Sorry to tell you but I want to go out with a bang and this sure as hell isn't it. On top of it, who has the gun pointed in their face?"

Right as Jessica was done talking, she had saw a shadow move from in the hallway. That made her heart skip a beat wondering if it had been the other man and she would have no choice but to shoot. The blood on her hands could wash off but her conscious.

Nicky had been standing behind the men ready to help her out. Flickering her eyes between the men, the teenager had held up a pan that she grabbed from the kitchen. Bracing herself, Jessica had lowered her arm and tossed the gun pistol onto the bedspread.

It had been Nicky's cue and she had added herself in the mix. Hitting one of the men hard on the back of the head, he had fallen straight to the ground. She hadn't been sure if she killed him and Nicky nearly froze at the thought. As the other man whipped around towards her, Jessica lurched forward and jumped onto the bed, and onto the man's back to distract him.

Getting caught off guard, the man started whipping around, trying to grab a hold of Jessica. Nicky was fearful that she was going to hit her while trying to hit the guy and Jessica was holding on tight. Both females were trying not to make any noise so they didn't alert the two outside.

"Nicky, come on dammit!" She called out to her while turning her head to the left for the girl to smack him now with the skillet.

Holding her breath, Nicky swung with all of her might and luckily she got the right target. Once the man got hit, Jessica quickly backed off the best way she could before she ended up clattering to the floor with him. Taking another huge sigh of relief, the blonde Cody had grabbed onto Nicky, gave her a hug and hold onto her for a moment. She knew how terrifying it had to be to the girl.

Pulling away, Jessica bent down and checked the man over for his gun which was tucked in the front of his pants behind his jacket. Holding it out towards Nicky, the girl didn't move.

"You need to take this. Do you know how to shoot a gun?" The brunette had shook her head no so she jumped back up in order to show her. "Keep an eyes on this guys and make sure they are out…"

Reaching back over towards the gun, she held up the Uzi and braced herself for the thought she had. Jessica and Nicky had gotten two of Javi's men down, J was still being held captive so to speak outside. She had no choice but to go out there and talk Javi down from whatever he had planned.

"Where are you going? You're not going out there, right?" She asked, her voice shaky.

"I have to Nicky, J is getting the hell beat out of him. If I don't go out there, he's going to get killed. Stay here and make sure these guys don't come out, I think you got them out for a while"

"Jessica…" Nicky had pleaded with her and grabbed her wrist once she began to head out the doorway.

Spinning back around, Jessica started fishing through her pockets in order to find her car keys. Thinking about where she put them, it hit her and she came up with an idea. "I'll be fine…My car keys are on the table across from the fireplace. Get them and drive straight to Deran's. He'll get my brothers and I'll be fine until they get here. Okay? Just watch these guys for at least five minutes, if they move hit them again. Once the five minutes are up, run for my keys and get out of here"

Even though she didn't realize it, Jessica's voice had even trembled. She wasn't sure if any of them would make it out alive but she had to fight. This was all about survival for the Cody's and Jessica never backed down from anyone. She had never challenged anyone either and that's what fear her the most.

Slipping the gun behind her back, she tucked it in her waist band, walked towards the kitchen and psyched herself up. J was family and that was what had fueled her the most. The Cody's were obviously big on family and to protect one another no matter the cost. Pope had gone to prison after Baz had screwed up on a job. Craig and Deran had looked after each other their whole life, her brothers were always protecting her. It was time J felt the same in the family.

Cracking her neck, Jessica pushed herself forward and walked as calmly as she could out the patio door. The other man was keeping his foot on J's back in order to keep him down. During that mess, J must have swam out of the pool.

"Hey! Get your foot off the kid!" She called out loudly which caught everyone's attention.

Javi was sitting in one of the lawn chairs, his mouth hanging open when she saw her. He had believed that no one else was in the house and took J's word for it. "Well…I didn't expect any surprises" He had wondered if she had just walked in the house.

"Neither did I…Let J go before I decide to do something stupid"

The other man hadn't reached for his gun but his hand was near his side, ready to grab it whenever. "Is this your junkie ex?" He asked looking between the two.

Scoffing out a laugh, Jessica had pulled the gun from her waistband and pointed it at the man. He and J were positioned next to the pool yet right between the chairs and center of the pool. Aiming it nearing the man, she shot it quickly into the pool, switched sides and did it again. The bullets went flying, the guy was shaken but still didn't move. J had jumped out of his sin when he heard the shots and flinched, trying to cover himself even though his hands were still tied.

"Oh, Jessica Cody and a gun. That doesn't make a good combination" Javi had playfully said before turning to the man. "Let the kid go, he can't go anywhere with his hands tied.

Lowering the gun slightly when the man backed away, Jessica glanced faintly over her shoulder to the house. "I thought your problem was with Smurf, not with any of us"

"You all are her children, remember I was never included in that"

"Oh please, I heard you say that at least a thousand times when we dated. We get it, Smurf dumped you off. Grow up and get over it already" She countered him with the roll of her eyes.

Standing up from the chair, Javi had laughed out loud and nearly spun in a circle from amusement. "Still feisty as ever…You shouldn't be the one giving me life advice babe, you're the biggest screw up of them all and that's saying something"

Javi's game plan was simple and he knew that Jessica was going to fall right into it. The whole night started out to be pretty simple but now she had been complicating things. He wasn't going to let her interrupt what he was doing and Javi was willing to do whatever it took. It wasn't that he hadn't warned most of them of his actions before so the Cody family should have been prepared.

Jessica had been biting her tongue after hearing his statement. She hated more than anything when people threw her past in her face but Javi knew pretty much all of it. "You know, that really says something considering we all assume that Pope is the screw up. You got your life together some what but you're still the wash up of this family"

"Shut up…Look at where you ended up? Out on the streets because my Mother threw you out. Save the speech, I've heard it from everyone else"

"Have you? See, I've learned enough from all of you and you all have scars that cut deep. I know all about you Jessica, and I know that you are wounded beyond repair"

"Looks like that makes two of us…Hand J over and I'll let you walk out of here without a scratch. I'm done with the small talk"

Raising her hand back up, Jessica had pointed the gun at him. Even though their relationship had never been sour, she was pushed to her breaking point and had enough. He had threatened her when she took Lena to the beach, Javi showed up at her work. Jessica should have taken his word for it when he warned her the first time.

"Where are my guys? They walk into the house and haven't came back out" Javi was suspicious that she had done something but she couldn't have taken two grown men out, at least he thought so"

Shrugging her shoulders, her blue eyes had shifted between Javi and the other man. He had been quiet the whole time but kept his guard near J. Javi smiled, snickered and eyed her up once again.

"Can I ask you something? You ever tell Baz about your deep dark secret?"

Catching her completely off guard, Jessica's body had frozen in place. Her eyes had widened at the remark as she knew exactly what he had been talking about. Lowering her arm from surprise, she had been hoping that she heard him wrong.

J had been listening as well and wondered what he was referring to. He had known that she and Baz had history but was unaware of this comment. Looking towards the ground, he was trying to figure out a way to get up. Out the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow walking around.

Trying to get up, the man had quickly moved over and placed his foot hard on his back once again.

"Jessica…Behind you…" J had called out still struggling to get away from the man.

The air had become silent and Jessica swallowed hard. Glancing at J, she heard him but she made a face at him in confusion. A scream had rang out which broke her from her thoughts and shook her to the core. She could tell it was Nicky's voice, Jessica's heart had sank for the fifth time that night.

"Jessica!" J nearly screamed out after hearing Nicky.

Whipping around, one of the men from in the house had been standing directly behind her. Raising his gun towards her, he had pistol whipped her right in the face. Jessica had yelped in reaction and the gun smacked her hard enough to send her crumbling to the ground. Javi watched the scene unfold and didn't move an inch, it looked like he had three hostages instead of one.


	20. And Two for the Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Javi takes off with the girls

Laying on down on the ground face first, Jessica covered her face and felt blood rushing out of her nostrils. The second that she had hit the ground, the pain already started and radiated all over her face. Getting caught off guard by Nicky screams was one thing but getting hit in the face was a whole another problem. J had been trying his best to get up in order to protect her but there was no way he was going to fight off three men with his hands tied behind his back.

She had now been the only hope as Nicky didn't get out the front door in order to alert the other Cody's. The man had been shouting at Jessica in a variety of different ways from name calling to Spanish words. He had kicked her hard in the stomach which made her groan out in more pain. he had done so again even as Jessica had tried squirming away from him.

Jessica hadn't known if her nose had been broken or just fractured. She could have just had a bloody nose but she wouldn't know without looking at it. The second she opened her mouth to yell however the blood had gone into her mouth and covered the front of her shirt. Before the man could kick her for a third time Javi had finally jumped in to do something.

Dragging the man away from her Jessica had laid still now grabbing around her waist. "what do you think you're doing? I don't want anymore blood on my hands"

"She attacked me inside along with that other bitch" He answered him, huffing that he couldn't get another hit in.

"Before you do anything else stupid check with me first. It's bad enough now we have not only two out here but one inside"

The man next to J Had picked him up by his wrist and put him in a sitting position. They still had more interrogating to do and he knew that Javi wasn't done yet. The other missing man finally came out dragging Nicky outside with him as well. Throwing her down onto the hard concrete he had already secured her wrist with rope that he found in the kitchen. He had also duct taped her mouth shut in order to keep her quiet.

When J watched Nicky get tossed onto the ground That once again made him want to spring into action. Fighting with all of his might, he shoved the guy back hard with his shoulder and try to making a run for his former girlfriend. Before he could get close Javi had caught him by his shoulders and need him directly in the abdomen. that blow had taken J right back down to the ground.

Javi had turned around and looked over the three so called hostages. "I thought you said no one else was here what did I tell you about lying to me?"

Sighing loudly, he had swore out at the sky not expecting the night to go exactly this way. Getting to J was one thing that he knew Smurf wasn't going to take kindly to. His problem now was having to deal with Jessica and Nicky and what to do with them. he wasn't entirely sure who the brunette was but his ties with the Cody sister where the game changer.

Nodding to the man to take him back over to the pool, the guy had gripped J around the arm and drug him back to the edge of the pool. Nicky had been fighting against her captor and screaming despite the duct tape covering her mouth. Jessica had lifted herself on one of her elbows while keeping her other hand right below her nose as the blood was still pouring out.

Taking another look between the three, Javi had two of them secured but not all three. Marching over towards Jessica, he bent down and yanked her to her feet. Wincing in pain due to the hard kicks she had received, she had tried her best fighting against him until Javi pulled out his gun and pointed it at her chest. She had stopped struggling abruptly, took a deep breath and stared him back down.

Yanking her towards one of the pool chairs, she pushed her down towards it. "If you make any sort of movement I will hurt your nephew without hesitation and kill the girl. Find something to tie her up with" He spoke to the man who knocked Jessica down. Picking up the gun,

Javi knew Jessica would try and do something drastic in order to change the whole situation. He didn't want murder on his hands but he had to get her to back down without her causing any trouble. Stepping back over to J, he noticed his shorts were stuck to his thighs due to the fact that they were wet. Looking at the large cut on his leg, Javi came up with something.

"Did you guys get the money that was inside?" The man towards Nicky shook his head yes. After attacking her, he had searched the room and found the shoe box.

"There was at least a thousand in the box, nothing else in the room" He pushed Nicky onto the ground as well, she had been sitting on her knees.

Cocking his head, he placed his hand hard on his thigh. "We've got five hundred behind the washer and a thousand found in the bed room. That isn't enough, I want more. Where is the storage unit?"

Even though J had mentioned it earlier, he hadn't given him an exact location. "I can take you there…Just let Nicky go and leave Jessica alone"

"So…Nicky is the girlfriend and Jessica is the Aunt, this is going to make things interesting now" Javi had ordered the man to tie Jessica's hands together in her lap. He had began doing so which blocked her view of what was going to happen next.

Slipping a pocket knife from his front pocket, Javi had slammed it into J's leg making him cry out in pain. The wound from the church was healing nicely but he was still going to show who was boss. He didn't plunge it too deep but enough that blood began oozing out of the wound. Dragging it along and through the stitches, J had been squirming and fighting while screaming in agony.

"That's a pretty nasty cut, you should get it taken care of. Your Aunt's a nurse, maybe she can stitch you back together" Javi commented with a faint smirk. The man behind J was holding into him tightly as Javi did his work. "You're not leaving here J, no matter the cost"

Jessica had been sitting tight on the lawn chair with her hands trembling. She wanted to jump up and stop him but the two of them had guns. The man behind J was keeping a close eye on her that even if she wanted to, there was no rescuing J. Nicky had been crying heavily watching the scene as well though she was stuck where she was as well.

The other missing link had came back out of the house and Javi stood up. He held up one of Smurf's scarves, one of the few things he could tie. "Really? That's all you could find to tie her up with Chris? her up so we don't have to worry about little miss Cody over there trying to play hero. Make sure you tie it tight enough"

Without even thinking, Jessica ripped herself off of the chair. J had clamped his eyes shut from the pain he was feeling and didn't even see it. Nicky screamed as hard as she could when she made a run for her former love. Javi knew that she was going to get angry enough and whipped his gun back out. Pointing it at her, she stopped in her tracks and flickered her ocean eyes between him and Chris.

"I told you to say in place, do you not realize what happens when any of you disobey me?"

Placing her hands up slowly, Jessica took a few steps back. "Just go to the God damn storage unit and leave. You got enough money, you can easily get more without hurting any of us. My brothers will be here any second, Nicky had already called them"

Narrowing his dark eyes, Javi knew that she was lying. Jessica had only been saying it as a warning and she actually didn't know if she could have called Deran. Even though she didn't make it outside, she could have gotten her phone without her knowledge. Mocking a frown, Javi laughed in her face and pointed the gun towards the chair where Jessica sat down slowly.

"Another thing I learned about this family is you are all good liars, even you Jess. You Cody's think you run this town with your little jobs and big lifestyles. Things are about to change and none of you can stop me from doing it"

Chris stepped out and grabbed her wrists hard. She had winced and looked away, feeling the silk scarf bind her wrists together. Javi's eyes had flickered towards Nicky who was still whimpering and crying. He began walking that way which made her cry harder once more.

"There's nothing to cry about, J is fine, he's just a little cut up right now. You? You should be lucky that I haven't even touched a hair on your head" He bent down in front of her and placed her elbows on his thighs as he sat. "You're nothing like them so why are you here?"

He could tell that Nicky was completely out of place due to her panic. Jessica had controlled her panic more but she still showed that she was strikingly confident. It was being raised in that family that made her hard and hide her concern but Nicky was different. Her life had been semi normal and it of course had it's ups and downs. However, teenage drama wasn't the same as the Cody's parental one.

Pointing the gun right in her face, Nicky's sobs were turning into screams again and she clamped her eyes shut. Javi seemed to get enjoyment out of torturing her by doing nothing. J had still been in a sitting position with her leg bleeding heavily. "Leave her alone…Go get what you want"

Nicky was an innocent bystander so to speak than the other two. Even though Nicky had been with Craig for the last few weeks, J's feelings for her hadn't change. Craig had been blowing her off recently which meant the two kids were becoming closer once more. Besides that, J wanted to protect both of them.

Pulling the gun and standing back up, Javi cracked his neck and turned around. "What happens if I don't? What are you going to do? Your leg is jacked up and I have a gun in your face"

He stood in between the teenagers waiting for an answer from J. All three of them had no chance of easily getting out of the situation and Javi was taking pride in that. Biting his tongue for a second, he thought his plan over. "Grab the girls and let's go"

Jessica had her wrists between her legs trying to undo the scarf. When she heard him, her head snapped up in his direction, her blonde waves falling onto her back. The binding was almost undone, all she had to do was get a gun and do what needed to be done.

The other man had lifted Nicky onto her feet and she was staring to kick. She was doing everything in her power to stay in place but the man was dragging her on the concrete. As Jessica tugged on the scarf, she waited until Chris came back over. Elbowing him hard in the stomach, she jumped back up and took off towards Javi once again.

As J struggled to get up once more, the man by her had shot towards the ground by her feet in order to get her to stop. Skidding to a halt, Javi had his back towards her to make sure that his other guy could drag Nicky out without any help. Hearing the shot, he spun around as well.

"God, do you ever listen?" Chris had sunk to his knees when she hit him and was watching. He reached for the scarf and saw the displeasure on Javi's face.

She wanted to make a run for it but she was afraid that she would actually get shot. "Drop him in the pool, grab her and let's go!"

Feeling her heart skip a beat, J's hands were still tied together and there was no way he'd be able to swim. He had nearly been on his knees when the guy grabbed his wrist from behind and starting pushing him towards the edge of the pool.

Making a quick decision, Jessica wanted to save J so that he wouldn't drown. Javi was a step ahead knowing she was going to go after him without a second thought. Walking in stride after her, Javi reached for her wrist and drug her to him. He held onto her as tight as she could until she faced his direction. Javi had no choice but to take drastic measures in order to keep her down. Swinging his right fist out, he knocked her square in the jaw.

Jessica again dropped to the ground from the impact of his punch. He put most of his strength into it in order to keep her down for a while. She was going to be a handful and he needed to keep her down if he was going to drag her with him. "Grab her and let's move. Drop him in the pool now"

J began fighting off the man who was getting ready to toss him aside in order to protect his former flame and Aunt. "Don't take them…Please, I'll do whatever you want"

Javi snapped his fingers and the youngest Cody went face first in the pool. Chris and the other man had grabbed Jessica around her arms and began dragging her, her feet hardly moving on the cement. Taking one last look at the back yard, Javi began to leave, saving the mess for everyone else.

The Drop had been busy considering it was a Saturday night and Deran was running all over the place. He had mostly been bartending but also had to run around the place as things seemed to go wrong at times. He was still new to it all and was still learning the best he could. Smurf had taken it upon herself to head that way after none of her children besides one had showed up for dinner. She knew that they weren't busy and just wanted a way out of it as they were still mad at her for the brewery job.

Stepping inside of the place, she took a seat right up from so Deran could see her right away. Once he walked out of the kitchen area, he froze in place while Smurf smirked at him.

"Can I get you a drink?" Stacy, a bartender he hired had hopped over and asked.

Shaking her head politely, she pointed over to her son. "I'm actually here for my son Deran…I'm so proud of you baby. All this hard work you put into it, it looks great"

Deran had appeared next to Stacy and told her that he had it handled. He didn't expect nor want her in the bar because he already knew how things were going to go. Smurf was going to try and guilt trip him into not coming to the dinner, he had enough on his plate for the night.

"Can I get you anything Smurf?" He asked calmly before taking a pause for a deep breath. He wanted to prepare himself.

"Nice girl, you better keep her away from Craig" She commented and leaned on the bar to kiss him. Deran backed away knowing the embarrassment would never leave if anyone saw it. Shifting her eyes, Smurf had another smirk on her face. "Your sister was the only one who showed up tonight"

"Look, I already know all of this. I can't just leave this place when I'm the owner and I have to open and close the place. Craig is off at some massive party with Renn, Baz was going to see Lucy and I'm sure Pope is watching Lena. We all have lives you know"

She hadn't been there in order to cause a scene or a fight. Smurf knew that her boys were angry with her and it all stemmed at Baz's expense. He had been the one being the ring leader, she was still ready to show she was in charge. Hearing all of that information gave her a faint understanding but also weapons as well.

"I just wanted my family over for a night, is that too much to ask?" Smurf asked him, keeping her eyes locked on him. "It was pleasant to see Jessica show but I thought all of you would have been there"

"Well we're all busy so you can spare me the guilt trip"

Coming off harsher than usual, Deran wasn't in the mood for any of it. He was probably the most angry out of all of them for the failing job. His eye had been looking better but he still looked as if he got into a fist fight. The fact that they almost got caught with no money was another thing that bothered him and Deran wasn't willing to forgive so easily.

Smurf hadn't said another word, sat there quietly while looking away from him. At that moment she knew that Deran wasn't going to budge and she'd resort to her old tricks. Whenever he had gotten mad at her, he'd take a few steps back and return on his own. He and Jessica were the only two in the family who did so, it was always expected that they would come home at some point.

"You are just like your sister, always have to be so hard headed about everything. I made a dinner and was disappointed that none of my children but one showed up. What kind of Mother would I be if I didn't send any invites?"

Holding his tongue, he had a comment to say but decided it would be best not to say anything. Luckily for him, he noticed Pope and Lena coming inside.

"Hey, she can't be in here. It's a bar and she's way underage"

Deran jumped forward and around the bar to stop him. Pope had his usual look on his face and didn't listen to a word he said. His dark eyes shifted between his Mother and Brother before speaking. "Lena's staying the night at her babysitters according to Baz. He said you have her bag in your car"

Earlier in the night before Javi had showed up, Pope had texted J asking if he knew were Smurf went. She had been the only one who told him where she was going and he simply relayed the message.

"Lena Roo, you can stay the night with me again" Smurf had bent down in order to pick up her granddaughter for a hug. She had gotten up from her seat and set Lena in it.

"I'm serious Pope, you have to get her out of here before someone comes in here to check the place out"

"Jesus, I heard you the first time…Let's go Lena"

Lena had been sleepy but had a good time as usual with her Uncle. He had picked her up and carried her in his arms back out into the parking lot before he could hear Deran yell at him again. Smurf didn't say a word to Deran and followed her eldest.

Standing in front of her car, Smurf began to unlock it in order to reach for the bag. "Are you sure you don't want to stay with me?"

The young girl had been rubbing her eyes before closing them. "No, we're going on a trip tomorrow". The babysitter named Crystal had a daughter Lena's age and they were close. She loved spending time over there with her best friend.

Nodding, she kissed Lena on the forehead then handed Pope the bag. "I have left over dinner waiting for you at the house. You should stop by"

After dropping Lena off at Crystal's, Pope only headed to Smurf's in order to talk to Jessica. He was curious to know how they were going to split the next few days because he found out from Baz that Jessica had been staying the night. The whole situation was obvious but he didn't understand nor want her to be acting motherly in front of Lena. He grew very protective of his niece and seemed to be the better parent at the moment.

Sitting in his black truck in the driveway, Smurf had gotten home after him much to his confusion. He had more to do than she did but she was still late. Keeping his eyes on the front of the house, Pope waited until she came around to the driver's window.

"You really should have just brought Lena here, I could have taken her in the morning"

"She wanted to go to Crystal's…"

Shrugging, he opened the door making her back away in response. Slamming the door shut, he began walking without waiting for her.

"I have to give you credit for stepping up and taking care of her. It's a shame that her Father doesn't seem to care leaving you and Jessica to do all the work. I wonder how that's all been working out"

"I hope you don't say stuff like this in front of Lena"

Pope turned his head faintly in order to see her walking up as well. "I would never…" Whether she was telling the truth or not, Lena knew everything that was going on. Just because she was seven years old didn't mean she can't comprehend her surroundings. She knew that her Mom was missing and even questioned if she was dead. Baz clearly doesn't spend time with her, making her latch onto Pope more. Jessica had done her best but with she and him hooking up, Lena was bound to figure that mess out.

As they made their way to the garage, Pope noticed how everything had been thrown around and out of place. Once Smurf caught up, she could see it all as well. Knowing that Jessica, J and Nicky were the only ones in the house, something was off and in a bad way.

Pope rushed back over to his truck and ducked into the passenger seat. Pulling a handgun from underneath the seat, he made sure it was loaded then walked back. "Stay behind me"

The whole place had been eerily quiet which made both Cody's get a bad feeling. Opening the door slowly to the house, Pope and Smurf walked inside to the mess that surrounded them.


	21. Gone Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica tries to outsmart the crowd

The house had seemed to semi-normal until they had stepped near the kitchen. It was a faint mess in the living room but it wasn't a shocking as it was in the kitchen. Pope had kept Smurf behind him just in case whoever was there was still lurking around.

He ended up telling Smurf to stay there while he checked the rest of the house. He moved to J's room first in order to see if Nicky or J were inside. The other missing link was Jessica whose car had stolen in the driveway but Pope wasn't sure where she could be in the house at that point. Smurf had backed up against the sink in order to get a perfect view and her surroundings. She had been worried due to the mass but she had been more worried about one person more than the other two.

watching something move in the backyard Smurf narrowed her eyes in order to get a better view of what it was. J had miraculously drug himself out of the pool and it was a struggle to do so, to begin with. After she noticed the hoodie, Smurf had run outside in order to pull J completely out.

"Pope!" She called out the second she raced outside. Grabbing J by the gray sleeves, she pulled him on to the concrete while he began gasping for air. "Hurry up!" She yelled for him.

Hearing his name being called Pope had sprinted through the house and out into the backyard. when he saw J he realized the bad feeling he had was right all along. He helped Smurf put him on one of the lounging chairs before heading back inside for a knife in order to cut the zip ties.

"J? J can you hear me? What happened?" Smurf had asked making sure that he was conscience rather than just choking on the water.

"They're gone…Javi had taken them with him" he managed to say still fighting to breathe.

Smurf had been cradling her grandson feeling faint relief that he was okay for the most part. His leg was still cut wide open and the water from where he was at was lightly pink. She looked around the backyard and saw that there had been a beach towel lying on one of the chairs. Ripping it off quickly, she wrapped it around his leg.

"Javi was here?" Pope asked once he reached him for the zip ties. J had winced once they were loose and leaned back on his elbows. "I thought you handled the situation?"

Smurf hadn't said a thing and just stared at J's injured leg. She hadn't believed it was going to go this far but Javi turned out to be a bigger problem than expected. Paying him money was something that she already did and Smurf honestly thought that he was done hanging around the family. Sure she thought he'd cause trouble down the line but for now, it was subdued.

Ignoring Pope's question, she applied more pressure to his leg. She had heard what J said knowing that Jessica and Nicky were missing. It had taken the eldest Cody sibling a moment to realize it as he was trying to solve J's issue first.

"Where is Jessica?" He asked another question, forgetting that Nicky was even there.

"He took her, Nicky too…Javi grabbed both of them and left"

Pope's usual demeanor was dark but his eyes seemed to change when he said that. The Cody family was very protective of one another, this would just open up a can of worms. He had been protective of Julia more so but Jessica was his younger sister and mostly all of the boys had looked at her that way, including Deran. She, in fact, was the only sister left and he would fight for her like he would anyone else in the family.

Staring intently at Smurf, he spoke again. "Did you hear what J just said? Now it looks like you have a missing person to go get"

Clearing her throat, the matriarch stood up and stared into the pool. Smurf had no idea it was going to get this far and her golden goose had been hurt while she had other problems going on at the same time. "Call your brothers, get them over here now!"

Moving away from J and standing up, he gripped her arm and took her off to the side. "What do you want me to say? Oh, your sister and J's girlfriend have been kidnapped and we need you to go search for them?"

It wasn't that Pope didn't want to help, it was his family after all. Calling the boys was the smartest thing to do as everyone needed to be informed. Half of the time it was hard getting a hold of everyone and he wanted to get more information from his nephew before calling them. She had given him a dark look just he had in his eyes earlier but he hadn't said a word. Stepping away, Pope rubbed his eyes before reaching for his phone in his pocket.

Lucy and Baz had been hooking up in her rented hotel room that she currently had. Meeting together was from a business standpoint as Baz had been helping her brother with a little gig he had down in Mexico. Marco didn't have the tools that needed nor did he have the connections in the United States.

Things turned a little different once they met up but something seemed off about this meeting. Lucy had a few questions on her mind that she needed confirmation on. Things had shifted slightly and Jessica seemed to be the root of the problem. Even though she had asked her personality what those two were up to, the Cody sister didn't answer and walked away. Lucy was suspicious since the moment she met Jessica because she knew that they were not related whatsoever. The moment she saw her at his home and taking care of Lena made her question him.

On the other hand, Baz was caught in between both women. Lucy had always been a side girlfriend and couldn't be anymore since Catherine had been around. His history with both of them was rich but it seemed that he had more baggage tied to Jessica. Baz and Jessica had something sparking between them since she showed back up and it wasn't something he was going to let go of. Leaning towards the blonde more, he truly wanted to stop things with Lucy while messing around with Jessica but was having a hard time letting go.

Baz's phone began going off on the nightstand on the table next to the bed. Lucy had been sitting his lap when he went reaching for it. Pausing for a brief moment, he read the caller ID and ignored the call. About ten seconds later his phone had gone off again which made Lucy look as well. Pope had probably been calling about Lena which would have been important considering that she was his daughter.

Taking a breath he raised his finger to silence Lucy while answering his phone. "Is everything okay?" He asked calmly and not really in the mood to speak to his brother either.

"You couldn't answer the first time?" Pope had asked which made Baz remember just getting on him for not answering his phone earlier. "You need to get to Smurfs now" He said with an urgent tone in his voice.

"What's going on? I'm kind of in the middle of something at the second"

"You need to get over here now. Javi came around the house and beat J Is an inch of his life. Nicky and Jessica were here when it happened which means you need to get here now without any more questions" Pope was leaving out the fact that both girls were missing.

Forgetting that smurf had had a family dinner it occurred to him that Jessica had been the only one that had gone. after hearing about the incident with J, Baz couldn't help but worry about what happened to her. After moving slightly, Lucy knew it was something important by the look on his face. Shifting off of his lap, she sat on the other side of the bed watching him.

"Is Jessica okay?" Baz asked getting off of the bed.

"J seems to be doing alright for the time being but Nicky and Jessica are gone and according to him Javi took them. Get here now" He was going to tell him about everyone anyway.

Pope had hung up giving him enough information until he got to Smurfs. He still had a call Craig and Deran so he didn't want to talk to Baz for longer than he needed at the moment. Immediately looking for his jacket he couldn't help but think what would have happened if he would have just gone with her to the house. Lucy was the last thing on his mind currently as he needs to get out of there and get to Smurfs as fast as he could. She had been asking what was going on but he had been giving her simple answers that he just needed to leave.

"Baz, what is going on? The way you are answering is starting to scare me. What is it?"

"I have to go, something is happening with my family and Jessica is gone" He once he reached the door and opened it quickly.

Lucy bit her tongue for a moment but decided to speak what was on her mind. "She's an adult, she can handle herself". It wasn't the right thing to say at the moment but it was what she was feeling. Not even wanting to answer her, Baz slipped out without worrying about the drama that was brewing between her and him.

After hanging up with Baz, Pope had called his younger two brothers in order to get them to the house. Both of them had also complained about getting there but Pope just told them it was an emergency and they needed to get there as quick as they could. He had spared the details an only told them that Javi showed up at the house.

Deran was the first to arrive and his green Jeep while Craig trailed behind him on his motorbike. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence that these 2 had shown up at the same time. Out of all of the siblings, Craig and Deran had to be the closest with the exception of Baz and Jessica. turning his car off, he stepped out while looking over his shoulder.

"What's this big emergency that pope is talking about?" Deran asked Craig.

Craig had been in the process of taking his helmet off and set it on top of the bike. "I don't know he did it really tell me anything and I take it he didn't tell you much either?" Shaking his head lightly, his brunette hair went flying. "I was at a really killer party"

"I mean he mentioned something to me about Javi coming here but I don't know anything else. Do you think everything is okay?" Deran had always been convinced that Javi was going to be a problem compared to the others. He had a feeling nothing good was going to come out of it but it seemed that no one else listened.

As Craig approached Deran's car, Baz's silver Challenger fly into the driveway. Jumping out of the way, the tall brunette was furious. "Really? Are you seriously trying to hit me? What's your problem?"

Baz had gotten out, slammed the door shut and glared towards him. He hadn't said anything thinking that they both knew the whole situation. Since he didn't' talk to either of them on the phone, Baz didn't know what Pope told them but they seemed unfazed by the whole thing. Baz wasn't sure if that was because of the not knowing or if they just didn't care.

Following him into the house, the younger Cody's walked behind him. All three of them had been taking a look at the inside of the house that was still torn up. Smurf had only fixed a spot in the kitchen and was more concerned about treating J.

"What's going on?" Craig asked seeing the mess and Smurf standing against the kitchen island. He watched her gaze and looked out into the back yard. Pope had been wrapping J's leg in a towel to cover the large cut.

They had seen all of them standing in the kitchen and the eldest Cody began to help his nephew inside. Deran was at a loss of words not believing what he was seeing.

"Javi decided to show up at the house…He took your sister and Nicky"

"What?" Craig spoke again with confusion and a faint touch of fear in his voice.

"Jessica and Nicky are gone?" Deran questioned moving out of the way for J to sit in one of the bar stools.

Not answering any of them, Smurf moved away from the counter and began to search for the camera remote. She had surveillance cameras on the house at all times so there had to be something on the tape. They had faced the back yard, the front and the sides of the house so the cameras had to pick up anything. With the kitchen a disaster, she wasn't sure where it was.

Baz had rubbed his forehead hard and stepped away from everyone. He remembered the last time he spoke with her and how he blew her off. He regretted what happened and only thought if he would have showed up at the dinner. He hadn't been the only one thinking that as the three Cody's brushed her off as well. They were a family who always looked out for one another, a missing family member was worse.

Throwing items around all over the floor, Smurf began checking cabinets looking for the little black box. Moving more things, all of the Cody's kept quiet while she kept digging. Having a sense of relief when she looked towards the patio door, she walked over to it and pointed it at the TV. Stopping the camera, she toyed around with before rewinding it to earlier in the night.

It had begun playing and after a while Baz came back into the room. All but J were staring at the TV screen. He didn't want to see any of it considering he was there and the pain he went through. He tugged on the towel he had around his shoulders more and stared at the countertop.

"So they jumped the gate…" Pope said aloud watching intently. "Didn't they expect someone to be here?"

It was a very good question as if Javi knew anyone was there in the first place. Jessica's jeep had been the only car in the driveway so he had to of known she was inside. There had usually been someone inside so Javi was there to cause trouble no matter what. They all had believed that he wasn't just there looking for the money, he wanted to make his mark known.

As Smurf switched to one of the other camera angles which faced the back yard. The Cody's had watched as the men began torturing J while floating in and out of the house. J wanted to excuse himself from the scene but knew he had to stay there in order to help. He wanted to lay down in bed and forget about everything that happened but he could with Nicky and Jessica missing.

Gritting her teeth, the matriarch watched Javi dunk J in and out of the water. It was moments later that Jessica popped into frame trying to save him. All of them watched her get decked by one of his men and that made Craig look away for second. Thinking along the same lines as Baz, one of them should have been there but it wasn't like they knew what was going to happen. Baz on the other hand stared at the screen with anger boiling in his blood.

"J, where was Nicky?" Smurf asked not seeing her at all in the picture.

"Some guy had her in the corner, they bound her hands together and ducted taped her mouth shut so she couldn't scream" He answered her after a moment. The cameras didn't show the house and that was were Nicky was at the whole time.

The tape had proceeded with J getting his leg ripped open though it wasn't a clear shot. It was evident that he had gotten hurt so they knew exactly what went on. Watching the rest of it, the Cody's had watched J fight for his life in the pool while Jessica had gotten attacked once again, this time by Javi.

Cutting it off once the group disappeared from the tape, Smurf had turned to face the refrigerator. She had a variety of emotions that she was feeling but was trying to not let the others see it. Everyone had kept quiet but went separately. Baz placed his hands on the back of his neck and moved towards the living area where they would talk about jobs. He couldn't believe what he watched and there was nothing he could do at the moment.

Deran had been sitting in a stool next to J and was remaining quiet. He placed his elbows on the countertop then placed his forehead in his hands. Pope was staring at the pool with his hands tucked in his pockets. Craig had been leaning against the wall looking between everyone in order to see where everyone's mind was even though he knew everyone had been thinking the same thing.

"Did they say anything? Where they were going?" Pope asked glancing away to see J.

Shaking his head faintly, J hadn't said a word. Even if they did, he would have been under water that he wouldn't have heard it anyway. At the end of the video, they had drug both girls out to the gate and had Jessica type in the passcode to get out. They disappeared without a trace and no one knew where they went.

"So what do we do?" Craig asked pushing himself forward and off of the wall.

"We get Nicky and your Sister back…" Smurf responded gaining complete composure and turned around to face the group.

"And how are we going to do that? We don't even know where they are?" Deran chimed in with a faint trace of anger rising in his voice.

Looking between her boys, it was a question that Smurf was still trying to figure out. The only lead they had was who was the culprit and that was it. Not knowing where Javi was going or even where he was staying was the huge problem. They had all watched Jessica get attacked multiple times which meant the guys were willing to not only hurt her but as well as Nicky. They needed to come up with a plan and fast in order to find both girls before things got worse.

Parking the van at the beach, Javi and his guys were trying to figure out the next part of the plan. Javi wasn't going to take the girls when he first arrived at the house considering he didn't know they were there to begin with. He wasn't willing to leave three of them there and wanted them to bargain with. He knew Smurf well and knew that she wasn't going to hand over money just because he asked. Using Jessica and Nicky was good for his advantage, he was willing to do it.

Jumping outside, all four men stood towards the front of the van speaking. The girls were sitting in the back with their hands still bound but Jessica managed to rip the tape from Nicky's mouth.

"Are you doing okay?" Jessica whispered trying to see out the front windshield, the lights were hitting the beach but she couldn't see any shadows.

Jessica's shirt was still stained with blood but it had already began drying, leaving maroon patches towards the neck and hem line. She knew she had it dried on her face and she wiped away as much as she could. Her hair was a wild mess, the beach wave curls looked as stressed as she was.

Nicky looked at her, mascara and eyeliner running down her cheeks and stained them black. She was beyond terrified and didn't understand how her body was shaking. For the Cody family, this wasn't an everyday occurrence but for Nicky it was something she never thought of facing in her life.

"I'm scared…How are we going to get out of here?" She asked feeling like she ran out of tears at the moment.

Taking a glance around the empty van, Jessica wished she could crawl up front but that would cause too much movement. Even though Javi had a good game plan, he seemed unaware of how hard they would fight or even how to have a hostage situation. Staring at the back door to the van, she thought of a moment then looked towards the front again.

"I want you to run…This is the only thing we can do" She said not feeling good on the idea but she wasn't going to just sit there and wait for whatever was going to happen next.

"What?" Nicky gasped out then followed her gaze to the back doors.

"Look, I'll be right behind you the whole time. I'm going to move and open the doors once they come around. The second the guy reaches for the handle and pulls; I'm kicking it as hard as I can. Once he's down, I just want you to run, okay? I'll take off behind you and if anything happens to me, just keep running until you find help"

Shaking her head in disbelief, Nicky didn't want to do it. She didn't believe that she'd be able to get away with both of their hands tied and four men on their trail. At the same time, she didn't want to know what would happen next. "What happens to you if I get free?"

"I don't know but I'll be okay. I'm putting my trust in you and I'm sorry that we are stuck together like this. For being my brother's girlfriend, I didn't picture our bonding like this" Jessica faintly joked and offered a faint smile.

As they sat in silence waiting for the golden opportunity, both women braced themselves to pull off mission impossible. Chris had gotten into the passenger seat before anyone else and looked at them to make sure they weren't doing anything funny. They both kept their heads down and he didn't seem to notice that Jessica moved her position in the back. After hearing the click of the door, it was time to take matters into their own hands.

Breathing deeply, Jessica nodded towards Nicky before kicking as hard as she could once the door was open. One of the biggest problems besides the men was that the beach was pitch black as it had to be in the middle of the night by now. Nicky launched herself forward and hopped out, running as the fastest pace she could.

Jessica moved passed the man that was on the ground and tripped over him once she jumped out. That had caused her to scrap her knees up but that wasn't stopping her. Running behind Nicky, Jessica was trying to take in her scenery in order to figure out where they were. She hoped that the teenager knew her way around Oceanside and would be able to tell once she got away.

They could hear yelling behind them knowing not only Javi was after them but so were the other guys. Nicky turned back to see what was going on, slipped in the sand and fell face first. Jessica rushed up to her and struggled to pick her up off the ground with her hands tied, but shoved her forward lightly once she got her up.

"Just go…Go!" Jessica screamed at her which Nicky did once she was shaken by her words.

Knowing that the men were behind her, Jessica was willing to sacrifice herself for Nicky to get away. She'd rather be left behind than her because she knew she could hold her own against them. Plus, Jessica had faith in her family and that they would do whatever they had to in order to get her back.

Standing still for at least five seconds, Jessica took off again but at a lighter pace for them to catch up. It was long when one of them had grabbed her around the wait but she was a step ahead, she threw her head back hitting the man hard.

Groaning, he fell to his knees which made Jessica laugh faintly as he had been the one who attacked her the first time. Seeing Javi out the corner of her eye, she wasn't bracing herself for him at all. He couldn't believe that she had been trying a stunt like that yet again as nothing was keeping her down. Javi had no choice but to use more force than he wanted to.

Once he caught up to her, he gripped her upper arms in which she continued to fight. Hitting her straight in the stomach with his fist, Jessica sunk into the sand on her knees, her elbows trying to cover the spot he hit. It had taken the wind out of her for now but he again had to do something else.

"Get the girl now!" He called out to Chris and another man who stopped once they reached him. Nicky had taken off faster but it seemed it was a never-ending beach. She couldn't see the streets or even sidewalk and no one was out. She had assumed she was near the sidewalk and hoped for that.

Looking up at Javi, Jessica was trying the best she could to breath. He had hit her lungs and rips into order to keep her to the ground but his next movement she did not except at all. Yelling and walking around in a circle, he was growing irritated beyond belief.

The man she headbutted showed up next to him with a bloody nose just like she had. He had said something in Spanish to him which seemed to only annoy him more. Whipping around to see his ex-girlfriend, Javi gritted his teeth and grabbed the back of her head. He raised his knee and it smashed directly in her face, shattering her and knocking her completely out. Not expecting him to go that far, Javi ordered the man to grab her and drag her back to the van.

Waiting for the men to hunt Nicky down, Javi was losing his control and grip. He had pushed the guy back and picked Jessica up himself, slinging her over his shoulder and dragging her back inside. He now had to think of his next movement because he knew that the Cody Family found out about the missing women…And that they would be prepared.


	22. Broken 4 U

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Javi takes drastic measures

Javi had been trying to keep control of the situation and everything started falling into his lap. Getting his revenge on Smurf was one thing but holding members of the Cody family were another thing. He felt that he was doing enough at the moment once he figured the whole problem out. It seemed that Jessica wasn't willing to listen if Nicky was around and he had to throw her out. Javi thought two would be better than one but he couldn't hold onto the teenage girl any longer.

He had actually gotten sick of her crying because she had started up again once his men had caught up with her. They didn't go to the same lengths as he did with Jessica as they simply just tackled her to the ground and drug her back to the van. Even though her mouth was duct taped again, her sobbing was getting the best of him.

"Make two more rights and stop once you reach the street" He commented peering over his shoulder to the driver.

Javi had stayed in the back of the van this time in order to keep a closer eye on the two girls though he knew they wouldn't try anything at this point in time. After throwing the blonde inside, Jessica's vision was blurry once she started to come to her senses. More blood had appeared on her shirt and she knew for a fact that her nose had to be fractured or broken as she could hardly feel a thing. Jessica also knew that her lip had been busted due to his knee and her lip cutting on her teeth from the impact.

The driver continued on and hit the brakes slowly once he saw the street. The passenger turned to see them as well, the other had been digging in his pocket to hand Javi something. Nicky's eyes had darted around the van, scared of what was going on. She wanted to get Jessica's attention but she had hung her head down the whole time. There had a little pool of blood where her mouth was on the floor, Jessica had done a thing the whole time.

"Okay girls, looks like I have to drop one of you off. Who will it be?" Javi asked looking between them waiting for a response. Nicky blinked a couple of times at his words while Jessica continued to hang her head. "Lucky for you, I'm letting you get the chance"

Leaning forward, Javi moved next to her side before ripping the tape off quickly, leaving Nicky to cry out from the pain. "You're going to do me a favor. Call Smurf, tell her what's going on and you get to go. If you say anything I don't like…" Javi had slipped his gun from his jacket and waited for her reaction, she had tensed easily.

"What…What happens to Jessica?" She asked shakily. The Cody sister had done so much for her and protected her from everything so far, Nicky didn't want to leave her behind.

"She stays with us. Now call Smurf and tell her that you are perfectly okay" He smirked while handing her the black cell phone.

Taking it with her shaky hand, Nicky had tried remembering what her number had been. She realized that she didn't know it but she obviously knew J's by heart. Dialing it, she raised it to her ear before Javi grabbed it and put it on speaker. He held the phone for her not wanting her to have it in her possession.

The line had rung three times before she could hear a click on the end, that made her heart jump faintly. No one said anything so Javi gave her the okay to say something. "Smurf?" Nicky asked right above a whisper.

"Nicky? J it's Nicky…Are you alright? Where are you?"

She could hear a voice in the background but she didn't know if it was J or not. "I'm fine, um I'm not sure where I'm at" Javi leaned closer to her and whispered the location in her ear. "Ash court, I'm by all these houses. I have no idea where I am"

Even though Javi just gave the location, Nicky had never heard of the neighborhood before. She could hear more male voices in the back with one sounding like Pope which quickly sounded like Craig a second later. Smurf didn't say a word as she knew exactly what Javi was trying to do. "Smurf? Are you still there?"

Another male voice popped up telling her to put it on speaker. There was another click on the line. "What about Jessica? Where is she?"

It was now Nicky who stayed quiet while she looked over at her. Her hands had been duct taped in front of her and she hadn't even raised her head from the mention of her name. "She's um…I don't know"

Javi had said anything to her and Nicky wasn't sure if she should say that she was hurt. If he didn't like it, she was fearful of what would happen. Baz had stepped past everyone and over to the kitchen isle where Smurf had the phone lying.

"What do you mean you don't know? Where is Jessica?" He questioned with both a concerned yet angry expression.

Motioning towards Jessica, Javi was trying to get her attention. He wanted her to say something to let them know she was okay and was still with Nicky. Snapping his fingers a couple of time, Javi then slid his foot out in order to lightly hit hers. That had finally gotten her attention as she lifted her eyes towards him. Putting the phone out towards her, Javi gave her a hard stare to say something.

"I'm here…I'm with Nicky" She commented with the best, fake voice she could manage.

They all heard Smurf call out a relief statement in the background but it was Baz that spoke again. "Jess…Are you okay? What's going on, where are you?"

Jessica had shut her mouth not even wanting to respond. She knew that Javi wouldn't let her anyway so she didn't want to put up another fight, especially since Nicky was going to be let go. Even though she wanted it to be her, she wasn't going to fight and leave a teenage girl with these guys. It was almost as if her motherly instincts had kicked in since the fight at Smurf's and they were still going strong.

Javi was glad that she was finally cooperating and working with him. Patting her leg lightly, he leaned back with the phone still in his hand. "Nicky told you where she was. Come get em" Closing the phone shut, he wasn't going to let them get another word in.

After receiving the phone call, Smurf had to send one of the boys out in order to scoop the girls up. Baz was the first to jump at the chance because he couldn't stop thinking about what has happened, mostly for Jessica's safety. Pope offered to go with him but he wanted to go by himself, he wanted to get there without any issues. His brother would more than likely give him some trouble as he wanted nothing more than to find Javi but his concern right now was on Jessica.

Smurf had also begun to debate on if he should get Lena from Crystal's for extra protection. She didn't think the little girl was in danger but she wanted her family together at all times while this was going on. The problem was if anything were to happen, Lena would be present and she didn't want that. However, she knew Javi wouldn't try anything if all of the Cody's were in the same house.

Pulling up to the neighborhood, Baz's eyes were darting all over in order to spot the girls. The street was only lit by the headlights and streetlights were dull. Nicky had been sitting against the street sign and saw the silver Challenger approaching. Hopping up quickly, she waved faintly and Baz slowed the car down. Unlocking the car, he had been staring at the passenger seat.

Nicky had opened the door with relief and climbed in. "Where's Jessica?" He asked once she closed the door shut.

She turned her head to see him. Nicky didn't know their names because they hadn't said a word to either of them. "They still have her…" Peering over her shoulder, she saw Lena asleep in the back seat.

Baz could tell that Nicky was terrified after what happened. She kept her hands tucked in her lap which had red rings on her wrists from where they had them tied. Her makeup was all over her face, her brown hair was disheveled and her knees were bloody and raw from them tackling her on the beach. Her palms had dried blood on them as well, probably from her hitting the ground.

Taking a deep breath, Baz was trying his best to keep his composure. It didn't last long as he pounded his fist on the steering wheel, making Nicky jump and Lena moved faintly in the back. He did it one more time before covering his face with his hands. He was filled with regret of not going to the dinner, anger for what has happened and concern for what will happen next. Seeing the way Nicky was only made Baz wonder what happened with Jessica even though he watched it on the security cameras. Baz also didn't want to know at the same time.

Nicky watched him then focused her attention on the empty street. "Jessica gave him your number…He asked me but I don't know what it is. He said something about talking to you tomorrow"

Sighing out loud, Baz removed his hands and looked at her. Nodding at her words, Javi was on his mind and it wasn't going to be easy to get through it. "Are you okay?" He asked simply.

Biting her lip, she bobbed her head yes faintly and debated on telling him what happened at the beach. Baz was upset as it was and she wondered if she should hold that piece of information back or not. Instead, he saved her from the thought. "We're going back to Smurfs. You can get cleaned up there and then we need to talk. You're safe now"

All of the Cody's had been equally surprised when Baz showed up with Nicky and only Nicky. By what Javi said, it sounded like he was dropping the both of them off but clearly, that wasn't the case. They all had left her to clean up with they all sat in the living area waiting for her. Smurf had put Lena to bed in the next room so that they were close enough to hear anything since she didn't know Baz was picking her up to begin with. They all had been tired as well as it was hitting early in the morning and they had been trying to figure what to do for hours. With each hour that went by, it had everyone growing more concern for Jessica's safety.

After Nicky had gotten a showered, bandaged and fresh clothes, she came out to see all of them. Her hair was dripping wet with water as she took a seat next to J. She had talked to him for a few minutes to see how he was. Smurf had her eyes locked on the girl and was the first to talk.

"Nicky, where did they take you? Did anything else happen?"

Looking away from J, she took a glance at everyone but focused on Smurf. "We were at a beach, it was so dark that I don't know if it was the one around here or not. Jessica and I tried making a run for it but…" She stopped talking and paused for a moment. "I think they said something about Arizona"

The Cody's all had a different reaction once she dropped that piece of information. If Javi had been going to Arizona, they needed to act faster than expected. Jessica would have been in another state by now which only created more problems. If they had known where Javi was hiding out, things could have been different but they didn't know if he was bouncing state to state.

"So what? We're going to just sit here and wait?" Craig spoke up shifting his eyes all around the room.

"Of course not, our family is being threatened and Javi is holding Jessica against us. He attacked J and Nicky on top of it. We need to come up with a plan"

Baz had turned to Nicky wanting more information. "Did Jess know where you were at? Did she say anything that could help?"

"I don't know, she may have but she didn't say anything to me. She told me to run and that she'd be behind me but I didn't see her at all. When the two guys grabbed me and took me back to the van…" Nicky trailed off again and looked away from him. Everyone had been listening again rather than having the side conversation they were having two seconds ago. "She was in pretty bad shape"

"What do you mean pretty bad shape?" Pope asked in his usual monotone voice.

Nicky swallowed hard before talking. "She's was bleeding pretty bad. I mean, she was bloody before the beach incident but I don't know what happened. She kept her head down and there was blood on the floor. I don't know if someone hit her or what but Jessica lied on the phone. Her face was…" Nicky stopped yet again remembering what she looked like. She had never seen someone look that bad before and it was an image she wasn't going to forget anytime soon. "It was bruised, her mouth and nose were bleeding again"

Leaning back in the chair, Baz was yet again trying to hold it together. He wanted nothing more than to get her back and would do whatever it took. J and Nicky were hardly on his mind compared to everyone else, Smurf had been babying J. None of them had any clue that Baz and Jessica were close yet again but some had certain feelings about it. Over the course of the last few weeks, they had been spending time after time together without anyone knowing.

Deran had also shown great concern on his face considering their relationship as well. Jessica always looked out for him and this was a time that he had failed her. "Well let's go get her then" Craig said practically jumping off of the couch.

"And go where? We don't even know where they are Craig, how are we supposed to start looking for her?" Baz countered back to him with more anger than he intended.

"I don't know but we need to do something. Right?"

Deran had quickly jumped into the mess that was unfolding. "We can't let Javi do what he wants. Give him the money and everything will be over"

"Oh yeah? Before or after he decides that Jessica isn't a good hostage to half and drops her in the ocean?" Pope questioned him as they all started offering their own input.

Smurf had been trying to get a hold of the situation but all four brothers had been going at it. None of them were agreeing on anything and weren't seeing eye to eye with the problem. The family needed to work as one in order to get their sister, aunt, and daughter back.

"Alright! Arguing isn't going to solve anything!" Smurf shouted before jumping up. That caused everyone to look at her, each with a surprised look on their faces. "We need to figure this out fast rather than sit here and fight like school kids. You see what they did to J, just think what could be happening with your sister"

Remaining quiet, all of the Cody boys had too much on their plates. They had never been faced with a hostage situation before but there was a first for everything. Baz's phone had gone off in his jacket pocket and he fished for it. Seeing a mysterious number pop up, he remembered what Nicky said so he knew that it had to be Javi calling. Everyone had turned to him after the ringtone went off and Baz slowly answered.

Javi had wanted to meet him and only him down by the pier on the beach. It wasn't a spot that was filled with people so they could have the simplicity of the morning. Hardly any people would have been out anyway due to the early morning but Javi was taking extra precaution. Baz had accepted the offer wondering if Jessica would be with him or not.

Spying Javi down towards the shoreline, Baz prepared himself for what was going to happen. He was disappointed that he didn't see anyone else so now he knew that Jessica wasn't with him at all. Slipping his leather jacket off, he tossed it in the car before heading down towards the water. Javi never turned around once he approached and instead stared into the orange sunrise.

Baz had looked between the sky and Javi expecting him to say something. He kept his hands in his brown jacket and didn't even acknowledge him standing there. "So…What are we meeting for?" He asked wanting to know the exact reason. It obviously wasn't for Jessica to come back.

"You, Pope and I had good times down here, you remember that?" Javi finally turned his attention away from the ocean and looked at Baz. He didn't shift his body which was ridged and not friendly. "Shit, I remember a lot of things that happened on this beach"

Hearing memories being brought up reminded Baz of when he caught him outside of the Oceanside Clinic. All he did was bring up old memories while taking and seemed to run in circles. It didn't make sense to him but Javi had to have some sort of plan through it all.

"Look, you call me out here after you broke in Smurf's house. You practically left J for dead and took two women as hostages. Just tell me what you want. Is it money? What is it? This doesn't have to end badly for anyone"

"How are the nephew and girlfriend? I didn't rough her up compared to your girlfriend or should I say sister. You ask me, I wasn't up for playing that part"

Blinking at his comment, he was taken back by the remark. Javi knew that while he was dating Jessica meant taking in the baggage of the family but not the history with Baz. He had already been thrown out by Smurf at that point and wouldn't come around any of them. He found out more than he needed to during that time, things that were said without warning. Baz and Jessica hadn't been together for a while at that point so the history was done for the time being. The Cody boys never saw Javi as a brother but they had considered him part of the family when they were younger.

"I'm going to throw this out now, touch Jessica again and you will have a bigger problem than Smurf. She doesn't even want to give you the money, I'm here in order to get you what you want so she can come back home and we can move past this. What's your problem?" Baz asked doing his best to stay calm because he knew that he was ready to lose it.

"Did she ever tell you about Dylan?" Javi quizzed then smirked when he knew the answer already. "I didn't think so, told you Jessica was good with keeping secrets from everyone. Maybe someday you'll know…She's great though, isn't she? I mean, Jessica isn't herself if she doesn't put up a fight right?"

Narrowing his blue eyes, Baz shook his head hard with a smile approaching him. Javi was trying to lure him into something by his words and it was clear. Baz never had a good temper to begin with so this was going to work in his favor. He also knew that Nicky told them everything that happened so Baz had a clear picture of everything that happened. He didn't stop there however, he continued. "We've both had her and we both know what she's capable of. What I wonder is what it's going to take to break her. The drugs never did the trick so maybe beating the hell out of her will"

That was enough to send him in a rage. Baz couldn't help but launch forward with his fist knocking Javi right in the jaw. That sent him onto the sand with a laugh and reaching for his gun that was tucked in his pocket. He had whipped out towards him and licked the blood off of his bottom lip.

"It's always the same with you Baz, all it takes are a few simple words. I'd suggest not doing that again considering I have something you want and you have something I want"

Baz was ready to attack him yet again but did everything to hold his anger back. Taking a few steps away, he placed his hands behind his head and took deep breaths. He had to be careful with what he was doing because he wasn't sure of what Javi was capable of or what his end game plan was. Javi had picked himself up but kept the gun in his hand.

"Smurf shot my Dad in the back of the head and you think I've moved on from it. Your Dad beat the shit out of you and she took you in. Me? I thought she'd consider me as one of her sons like she did to you but no, I never was a part of it. I waited every birthday thinking he'd come back for me and it took twenty years for me to find out the truth. I want what I can't get because your Mother took that away from me when I was just a child!"

Spinning around once he was done talking, Baz could hear the hurt and anger within his voice. It seemed that he and Javi had more in common than he thought, there was an underlying connection that wasn't Jessica. Holding his arms out, he asked again. "Look, I can only get you the money for this to stop. I don't have a problem with you Javi, I just want Jessica to be back and all of this to stop. I'll get you the money, what's it you want? Two hundred thousand?"

"You know, Manny used to always say that Smurf would climb over her own kids just to keep from drowning. She's done it before and she'll do it again. You be careful with her bro, that's all I'm saying. You're not even her kid, look at what she does to the ones that are" Stopping, he slipped the gun back in his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper. "Four hundred sounds better"

"Come on, I'm trying to work with you here. Take the two hundred and let's leave it at that. What do you say?" Baz's eyes trailed to the paper curious as to what it was.

Thinking it over, Javi nodded faintly and took a few steps towards Baz. Sticking his hand out, he was okay with the number but there was another thing that he was adding it. "But I want the money from Smurf. She was supposed to pay me yesterday yet here we are"

"Jake took the money she was supposed to give you, that's why I'm offering it now"

Disagreeing with it, this was now another issue. "No, I want the money from Smurf. Here's the number to call when she agrees to do it, I'm calling in an hour so she better have the money"

Heading back to Smurf's with a new offer wasn't going to solve or at least satisfy anyone's questions. Smurf was very hardheaded and there was a good chance that she wasn't going to like what Baz had to say. It wasn't a choice however, they needed to get Jessica back.

An hour wasn't a lot of time to discuss anything even though the answer had to be yes no matter the cost. Replaying the conversation to everyone in the kitchen again was met with the same answer to all except one.

"Can I ask a question? Why does Javi want all this money?" Deran asked feeling like he was missing part of the story. Baz had left out that part as he was concerned more about the money.

Smurf looked to her youngest and spoke. "Because he blames me for his Dad's death when I had nothing to do with it. We all went to rob a bank and someone screwed up which led to Lou getting shot" She was retelling the story and Baz was listening carefully. "Manny shot and killed him to put him out of his misery. He buried the body in a construction site for houses with my gun. He thinks money is going to solve this little problem"

Baz jumped in quickly. "Wait a minute, Javi told me that you shot his Father in the back of the head over money" Her face had dropped for a split second and all eyes were focused on her. "What one is it?"

"You're going to believe a guy who is demanding almost a half of million dollars over me?" Smurf questioned not denying or agreeing to the claims that were being brought. "Jake took the money that I was supposed to give him"

"So what? Go get more money and give it to him. How hard is that?" Craig asked it seemed that every time someone spoke it was always in a question. He was missing the whole point because Smurf had to have more money. "We're still just going to sit around and wait? Baz said he's going to call any minute now wanting an answer and you are going to tell him no?"

"What do you want me to do? I don't have the money anymore besides; didn't you all pull that little job on the church? We need to handle this"

Deran couldn't believe what was going on and he had to speak up again. "What do you mean we need to handle it? Javi is your problem that you created years ago; this has nothing to do with us. You hand over the money and that's it!"

Smurf again looked towards the blonde Cody. "They almost killed J, he has your sister. You think it has nothing to do with any of you? Do you realize what your life would have been like if I went to prison for murder?"

"Yeah well, you know what? Foster care would have been better than this shit"

Smurf couldn't believe that not one of them had been taking her side. Craig and Deran were leaning up against the back door windows clearly on the same side. Smurf had her back up against the stove whereas Baz was leaning against the refrigerator. Pope and J were sitting down and Nicky was off in Lena's bedroom trying to keep her distracted.

Deran looked towards Baz thinking he was going to jump in but he didn't say a word. He proceeded with more. "Javi has our sister and Smurf's not going to give him money just because Jake took it already, no one has a problem with it?"

"No one is saying that Deran, Smurf is going to get the two hundred thousand dollars, give it to Javi and Jessica will be back once he calls"

It was as if Baz had just predicted it because her phone had begun ringing on the kitchen island. All the Cody's moved towards the phone with the exception of Pope and J who were still sitting. All eyes had been on her yet again as she reached for the phone. Sliding her finger over answer, Smurf put it on speaker and set it back down.

Javi had been holding the phone up to his ear and once he heard the line click, that was when the chain events were going to kick off. "Smurf…How is my favorite girl doing?"

"You can quit the act now Javi, no one is in the mood for it. You called so I answered"

"You're not going to even ask how your daughter is doing? Here, why don't I let you say hi"

Arizona wasn't in the picture as Javi decided to stay in California. He knew some people who had an abandoned wear house at least two hours away from Oceanside and he was hiding out there. His men were sitting around the place listening to him talk while Jessica was in the center of the room. They had her tied to a chair with duct tape over her mouth so she couldn't yell. She had been watching him wishing that she could hear them on the other line.

Walking in her direction, Javi stood in front of her before ripping the tape off which left a faint red mark from it. She turned her head from the impact and he held the phone out towards her after hitting speaker. Nodding towards her, Jessica looked between him and the phone.

"Mom?..." Jessica's voice was vulnerable and soft. There was hurt lying in it as well.

"Hi Baby, how are you holding up?"

"Give him the money…Please just give him the money…I want to come home"

Getting that little snippet from her was enough to make Smurf, or at least Javi thought so. He thought that Baz would have convinced Smurf that Jessica was the key to solving everything. As long as he convinced her that her daughter was part of the plan, she would have no problem getting the money. Well, that is at least what many people would have done but Smurf wasn't just anyone.

"Jake has the money I was supposed to give you last night. You want the money, go after him for it"

That answer was not at all what Javi expected. Gazing towards Jessica, he could read her face without a problem. Her mouth had been open and her eyes slowly shifted towards the phone. She was in surprise as much as he was, that wasn't good for either of them.

"No…I said I want you to give me the money no matter what. Jake's a different problem that I'll deal with but for now, I'm starting with you. You give me the money, you get Jessica. It's simple"

Both of them listened to voices in the background, it sounded like none of the brothers were accepting what Smurf had said either. She shushed them quickly before speaking. "And I told you how this is going to go. You get the money from Jake, I'm still the one who paid for it. We meet get Jessica back and your problem goes onto him"

Leisurely standing up, Javi's patience was running out again. Pointing over to the guys who were sitting, he pointed to one of them to step outside. Jessica watched knowing that the answer didn't make him happy. Growing scared, she tried her best wigging in the chair but it was to no avail. Her hands were tied behind her back and chair, her legs perfectly in place against the chairs. Shaking her head widely, she cried for a second while trying to get free.

"Oh Smurf, I thought your daughter was hardheaded but you are in the same boat as her. The problem right now is I want my money and I'm not tracking down a guy who I have no idea where he is. You can get Jessica back but I can't get Jake so it's not really a fair deal either. You really think I'm just going to stand here and wait? No, you can thank Baz for this next idea"

He was over by the door of the building looking for the man he sent out. The guy came back with nothing so Javi went searching for something within the building. None of them knew what he was planning so for the second he was on a mission. Grabbing a baseball that was sitting in the far corner, he picked it up and walked back over towards Jessica.

Jessica had stopped moving when she heard the bat scraping on the cold cement. Scoffing in fear, her stormy eyes started welling with tears. "What are you doing? Javi, please…Please don't do this" She didn't know he was going to do but it didn't look pretty.

"Untie on her hands and hold out her arm. One of you get this bat" He began to order the others to come back over. Chris had stayed back a little from them. "You don't give it to me then I'm going to do this to her. I will do whatever I want as leverage until the money is in my possession"

"Javi? What are you doing?..." Smurf's voice trailed off after listening to him. She could hear the venom that was in his voice and Jessica's crying wasn't helping.

"Give him the fucking money!" Jessica shouted towards the phone once one of the men got her hands free. Handing the bat to the other man, he was going to show that he wasn't playing around.

"You better hold still" Javi said while ordering the other guy to hold her arm out straight in a line. "Break it…" He said staring at Jessica for a few heartbeats. She started crying heavier and began wiggling again. He really didn't want to now push it to this extent but what else could he do to show he was serious? "Jessica, hold still. You don't want this to be worse than it needs to be"

Picking up the bat, the tip of it had laid directly on her elbow. Javi turned around but held the phone towards them so the Cody family could hear what was going on. They all began talking once again and it got quiet every few seconds. Lifting the baseball bat, Jessica stopped moving, took a deep breath and prepared for the impact.

The bat had come down and struck the elbow perfectly. Her arm had fallen out of the other man's hand from it and her screams were piercing everyone's ears. The pain she felt was overwhelming and she clamped her eyes shut while trying to best to break free from the chair again. Jessica knew that her arm was broken because she could hear the crunch from her bones, the pain that radiated up to her elbow and that she felt the numbness that had kickstarted already. Her breathing was heavy, her eyesight was dizzy and she didn't know how she didn't pass out. More tears began pouring and Javi finally turned around to see everything.

Nodding to his right, the men stepped away and Javi bent back down to her. Grabbing her arm gently, he looked at and could tell it was broken too. Setting it back down gently, he took a very deep breath not even believing he went that far. He tried silencing her but knew that she wasn't going to with the pain.

"This is step one. I would suggest getting the money rather quickly before something else decides to go down. Next time I call, you answer the phone and meet me where I want. If not, I doubt you'll be getting her back in one piece"

"Javi I swear…" Smurf said wanting to know exactly what happened as she only knew the just of it. "If you touch her again…"

"You won't have to worry if you come through. You wanna say anything?" Holding the phone out towards Jessica, she still screamed but tried calming it down.

"Please…You can't leave me here…Mom, please…Baz…" Jessica was in between breaths and tears while trying to form a sentence. The pain was leaving her speechless but she was crying out to anyone that would listen.

Snapping the phone shut, Javi rubbed the back of his head before looking at her again. "I'm sorry but it had to be done"

Getting back up, he wasn't satisfied but he felt that what he did was justifiable. Snapping his fingers to the men, they all had stepped out with him closing and locking the door behind him.


	23. Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The showdown with Javi occurs

The Cody home had been silent since the call from Javi. Even though the situation was bad to begin with, none of them had believed he was going to take it that far. Holding one of them as a hostage was enough to send them over the edge but what he did was pushing them harder than ever.

Baz quickly disappeared out into the garage and began to pull tools and whatever else Smurf had on the shelves onto the ground. Her car hadn't been parked inside so he had enough room to do what he wanted. He thought the meeting with Javi went well enough but his anger was now starting to target at Smurf. It wasn't a hard decision to make but she apparently had different thoughts. There was still nothing he could do because it wasn't like he could just start looking for Jessica.

Craig and Deran ducked out into the backyard trying to collect their thoughts. The two hadn't said a word to each other but they knew what ran through their minds. Craig and Jessica always butted heads but that didn't mean he wasn't going to protect his little sister. Deran stood at the edge of the pool with his face in his hands.

Pope had sat in the same spot but kept his eyes on the phone. There wasn't anything he wanted to say because no one would have listened anyway. J couldn't believe what had transpired and began to feel guilty for Jessica. He thought back to the night and wished he could have done something differently.

Nicky had come into view from the living area and glanced around at everyone, she could feel the tension in the air. "Is everything okay? Lena just fell asleep but wanted to know what all the noise was" She had been referring to Baz throwing this around.

Smurf had been facing Craig's room but when she heard Nicky's voice, she spun around. "Everything is fine, I need to talk to J before you go to school"

"Smurf, I don't think I really should go to school with what's going on"

Giving him a stern look, she just wanted to get him out of the house. Even though he would be safer with all of them, she wanted him to be out at all costs. She wasn't going to send him out with her sons due to his damage but she didn't know what to do. "Fine, when Deran goes back to the bar I wanted you both to go with him"

"Oh, I'm sure Deran is going to love that idea…" Pope chimed in before getting up from the chair. "Family discussion now" He had said it mostly towards Nicky who got the hint after a moment.

Looking towards Smurf due to her not knowing what to do, she told the teenager to go rest. Nicky didn't want to as she knew something was going on but she didn't know what. Pope called out to Deran and Craig to meet in the garage before disappearing. J had struggled getting off of the stool but began limping his way in that direction. As every Cody member went in the same direction, Nicky sighed before heading to the main living area.

Hearing the door to the garage open, Baz had turned away from everyone's cars to see Smurf out first. His brothers had popped up behind her with J being the last one. No one said anything at the mess, tools and random objects were scattered all over the concrete. He glanced at them but didn't say a word, actually, none of them had.

Placing her hands on her hips, Smurf looked at every one of her sons. "I know what all of you are thinking"

"Oh yeah? I can't wait to hear this" Deran commented which caught her attention.

Ignoring his commented, the matriarch continued. "What Javi did was unacceptable, he has no right to do that to Jessica. We will give him the money and we will get her back"

"Great, she finally comes to her senses only after something happened" Pope said with his stare laying directly on her.

"I need you all to do me a favor first…"

Pope had quickly cut her off. "Of course, you want us to put something on the line in order for this to go down. I would have thought differently considering your daughter is being held captive"

"You know what? I'm trying to make the best of the situation but if you want to nitpick everything then be my guest. Go ahead, walk away but know that your sister will sure find out"

Leaving that threat hanging in the air. Smurf wasn't going to stand there and have everyone critique her when she was trying to do the right thing. In her mind, she had been doing what needed to be done no matter who she was throwing into the mix. There were a few things that she had up her sleeve and they didn't know any of it yet.

Taking a view at them in the garage, she wanted to see if one of them would step out. None of them had moved so she started up again. "We buried Lou's body in a development back I the day which means there are houses built in that area. I want you to go dig up the bones and retrieve my gun that was buried. While you do that, I'll be meeting Javi"

Pope had shaken his head and turned away from the group. Craig and Deran exchanged looks knowing the mess they had to get into. J was leaning against a tool table and hung his head slowly. He wasn't going to be much help due to his leg but he knew Smurf wouldn't let him sit out. Baz had a feeling that something wasn't adding up right but he didn't want to follow them.

"I think I should go with Smurf. I talked to Javi first, I should be there if anything happens"

"We wouldn't be here if things would have gone differently last night" Deran spoke shifting his eyes towards J.

J hadn't noticed until he lifted his head and saw the eyes locked on him. He realized that the sentence had been directed at him. "What did you want me to do? Four guys came in here with guns, you want me to just dodge bullets?" His voice was calm but had a hint of irritation peaking.

Shrugging his shoulders, the blond responded. "Well, you could have been more helpful. So what if you got the shit beat out of you, my sister could be dead while we stand here and do nothing"

Stepping past everyone, Deran back through the door and disappeared into the house. He wasn't one to wear his emotions on his sleeve often but this was a different case. Seeing Deran's little outburst only complicated matters more as it showed that no one was in the same head yet again. It took a couple of minutes for Craig and Pope to go in as well but Nicky had popped out into the garage seconds later.

J, Smurf, and Baz had peered at her. Standing there quietly, Nicky slowly pointed to the door. "Deran was heading out to the bar…"

Nodding at her words, Smurf had turned to J. "I'm sure your Uncles will fill you in on what to do. Don't worry, everything will be okay" She stepped over to J and kissed him lightly on the forehead. Smurf then turned away and walked towards Nicky. "How are you baby? How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing okay, is everything alright?" She had been referring to the mess.

Smurf smiled towards her and kissed her just like she had done to J. That motion made Baz turn away because he was angry at her over Jessica. If she would have paid the money in the first place, Jessica would have been home by now. Instead, he had no idea what was going on. Biting his tongue, he waited for the two teenagers to leave before saying anything.

"Alright Smurf, how does this work? Do I take you to a bank to take the money out or what?" Baz spoke once they were out of sight.

Smirking one of her famous smirks, Smurf obviously had another plan up her sleeve. "I think you should be asking yourself this question. I already told you that I don't have the money so I would suggest digging into that church money of yours"

Opening his mouth faintly, Baz's eyes had turned into slits. He couldn't even comprehend what she was saying, especially that she wasn't giving over her money in order to save her own family. "You've got to be kidding me? You have money Smurf, where is all of it that you get from our jobs?"

"Things are expensive…" She trailed off lying directly to his face. "I know you boys made good money off of it so then called this a loan. You take the money out to pay for your sister and we both get what we want in the end"

"We get what we want in the end? You expect me to tell the guys that I'm taking half of the money because our Mother refuses to pay? This isn't benefitting anyone. You have the money; I know you do. Sell the house if you have to"

"And you've got the money to show for it. You get her back, don't you? You may think I'm blind but I know what goes on in this house and everyone's lives. Hand over the money, Jessica comes home and we all get what we want"

Jessica had fallen asleep at some point after the drama that had occurred. It was either that or she eventually passed out from the pain. Javi and his men had taken rounds in order to check on her while getting their own breaks in as well. When it came Javi's turn, he had gone inside to see if she had woken up.

He had told the other men to peek inside of the building rather than go inside as he was the only one to do so. Walking towards her with a sheet in his hand, his footsteps echoed throughout the place as it was completely silent. Once he reached her, Javi turned her head from side to side in order to determine if she was sleeping or if she passed out. Since she didn't move, he proceeded to do what he went in there to do in the first place.

Bending down like before, Javi had untied her other arm and struggled to keep her from falling face first. After leaning Jessica's body in an angle that she was alright, he unwrapped the sheet and folded it a couple of ways. Grabbing the broken arm gently, Javi took the white sheet and started wrapping it around the arm and to the shoulder. Javi wanted to secure the injury so that she didn't try moving it or making it worse. Jessica couldn't have made it worse by the look of it. The back of her elbow was swollen completely and turned purple in patch ranging from the elbow to the upper arm as well as down to the wrist. The sheet had delicately wrapped around it perfectly as Javi wasn't sure if it was going to be long enough. Once he pulled it tightly, Jessica had jumped in the chair and screamed, making him flinch in surprise.

Jessica's eyes had darted around the room until she saw his feet to the right of her. She moved her free arm not realizing that it was untied and tried to scoot away from him in the chair. Javi watched her silently not expecting anything less but he didn't move an inch.

"You're going anywhere Jessica so stop trying to make a run for it. Besides that, you're not going to get anywhere with that arm"

She hadn't noticed that her arm was wrapped up until he said something. The panic button inside of her kicked in and her first thought was to get away as quick as she could. Jessica couldn't scoot the chair quick enough to pick up her own weight so after a few more tries she quit. Taking a look at the bandages, she ran her left hand over the cloth before finally looking at him.

"Why did you do this?" She questioned referring to the bandaging.

Shrugging lightly, he took a few steps towards her and threw his hand out to show he didn't mean any harm. Javi didn't have another chair so he took a seat on the cement floor and kept his distance just in case she did try to pull something. "I don't want you to make it worse, you're pretty banged up as it is"

Most of the injuries that she could ever recall were ones that she had suffered from doing stupid things with her brothers. This was taking it to a whole new level and Jessica still couldn't figure out how she got in this predicament. Besides the arm, she had cuts and bruises covering her face as well as her stomach from the nasty kicks she received earlier. The busted lip would heal eventually but the bruises near her cheek, nose, and eyes would take time which meant she had to hide out for a while.

Jessica didn't say a word to him and decided to keep quiet for the moment. The building was bringing in light and she was trying to determine if it were still morning or afternoon as she hadn't known when she passed out. Her elbow was killing her as the inflicting pain wouldn't stop throbbing.

"You want anything? Food, water, pain meds?" He asked keeping his eyes on her.

"Pain medication sounds nice right now" She said softly but bit her lip when she shifted a little in the chair. "Can I go to the bathroom?"

"If you promise that you aren't going to take off. I want this to be over as much as you do"

Even though Jessica didn't believe him, Javi was ready to go back to Arizona. All he wanted was the money and he would have been out in heartbeat. Smurf only complicated things as he thought it would have gone smoothly once he had Jessica. The Cody sister wasn't aware that she had actually called him earlier and told him that she'd meet him later in the day.

After agreeing to sentence, Jessica waited for Javi to untie her legs and guide her somewhere that she could have privacy for the time being. She didn't make an attempt to get away because she found out that trying to go to the bathroom with one arm was hard enough. Coming back out after her me time, Javi guided her back to the chair and proceeded to tie her back up but left her arms untied for obvious reasons. He was glad that she was finally cooperating but it was a shame he had to take it that far.

"You know what? You really screwed up by taking me" Jessica said which made him pause with the rope. "You should have grabbed the golden goose which is J. Smurf doesn't give a shit that I'm here but if it were J? She would have been here in a heartbeat"

Continuing with the tying, Javi didn't answer for a moment. "Smurf killed my Dad, kicked me out with nothing and I'm not concerned with what Cody I grab" It had been a lie but he didn't know if Jessica was even telling the truth. He knew that the relationship she had with Smurf wasn't great but he thought by taking it, that would lead to Baz convincing Smurf to get him what he wanted.

Jessica had blinked her eyes after his statement, glanced away from the ground to see him. "I thought you said your Dad ran away?"

"Yeah well, that's what I thought until Manny told me the truth years ago. When you and I were together that was the story. Now I know why he never came back because your Mother put a bullet in his head" She could hear his tone changing as he moved away from her.

Things were smooth when they were a couple for the most part. Jessica had been staying away from the family during that time as she had just got out of her first rehab trip. She had just turned twenty and even though Javi was a few years older, they still had a connection from when they were kids. The breakup was mutual as he was going back to Arizona and there hadn't been any bad blood between them until now.

She couldn't believe what he was saying and that had shaken her to her core. "She wouldn't have…She took care of you" Jessica was turning away from the thought as she didn't want to think Smurf would have done that. Javi was important to the family once upon a time.

"Oh come on Jessica, Smurf isn't a saint, you of all people should know that" Javi said shaking his head in disbelief. "She wouldn't even pay for you to go to college, you had to support yourself by stripping because she cut you off from job money. All of you have done everything she's wanted and anyone who goes against her, well you see how that ended for me. You and your brothers need to wake up. If you really think that Smurf wouldn't kill to protect herself, you've got another thing coming"

Everything that Javi had said was the exact truth whether she wanted to hear or even believe it. Javi wasn't blind to everything that Smurf would do. The Cody siblings may think differently about their Mother and they more than likely believe his story. The problem was that she was still their Mother underneath it all, no one would want to think that.

Jessica could feel tears form in her eyes and for once she didn't know why. Everything seemed to hit her again and the emotions were changing constantly. Scoffing out a huff, she wiped her eyes before any water would run. "Why me then? Why not just take her and break her arm? You didn't have to do this"

"You think I wanted to hurt you? The last thing I wanted was for all of you to look at me like I'm a monster but she gave me no choice" Anger was beginning to show again in his voice and it reminded Jessica to earlier at the family compound. "I just want my God damn money so I can show that she can't push me around as she does to all of you. She's screwed me over and I'm doing something about it. You're right, I didn't have to bring you here but I did"

His demeanor changed icy once again and Jessica took the option to stay quiet. She wasn't fearful of Javi but after what she had gone through, she was nervous about what he would still be capable of doing. Feeling his phone buzz in his jacket, he pulled it out to check a text message that popped up. Taking a deep breath and huffing loudly, he looked back at her.

"Time to get going princess, it's time to hand you back over"

After Baz had coughed up the money that Smurf was missing, she had set out in order to get her daughter home. He had taken upon himself to go with her for two reasons. One of them was someone needed to be there for Smurf just in case something went down and the second was for the more obvious reason. Jessica and Baz had yet to put a title on their relationship but they knew they had something going and he wasn't going to let that slip away.

"Are you sure he's going to take the money?" Baz had asked driving up a hill in the middle of the desert. He wasn't even sure if he was going the right but Smurf told him to keep going.

"I don't see why he wouldn't, that's how this whole mess started" Smurf responded calmly while staring out the passenger seat. The situation was ready to go down once the rest of the boys had dug up Javi's Dad's body and retrieved the gun. She was ready for all of this to be over.

Spotting a van in the distance, he knew it was the right location that she had been talking about. Stopping the car at the mouth of the empty field, Baz turned to Smurf to see her plan of action but she already had the door open. He had adjusted his gun in his waistband before following her lead. Smurf was carrying a large duffle bag and when she saw the men, she spotted Javi behind her sunglasses. Dropping the bag to her feet, she had glanced over her shoulder to see if Baz was there or not.

"Where is she?" Smurf questioned seeing two men and Jessica nowhere is sight.

Javi had been standing there with his hands in his pockets before taking a few steps backward. Heading to the back doors of the van, he opened them and motioned for the Cody sister to come forward. Having trouble getting out of it, Javi helped her until she got her feet on the ground. Jessica agreed to remain calm until it was over and she'd do whatever he said. Pushing her forward lightly, he wanted to tie her back up just in case but he couldn't do that with her broken elbow.

When Jessica came into view, Smurf's face hadn't changed and she kept the same expression on her face in order to seem unreadable. Squinting her blue-grey eyes, Jessica saw her had felt a rush of relief wash over her. She wasn't sure if her mother was really going to show considering how things had already gone. When she saw Baz standing there, Jessica wanted to move as fast as she could do him but Javi had already grabbed her shoulder to stop her from making any kind of movement. Baz could feel his anger rise again when he stepped in strides towards Smurf's side but he knew he had to stop himself. He had never seen her in that condition before and that set him off.

"You okay?" He called out to her as Javi stopped her feet away from Smurf and stood at Jessica's side.

Nodding faintly, Jessica wanted to smile but didn't feel up to it. She noticed the way he was staring at her so she looked away for the time being.

"It's a shame things had to get like this…Is all the money in there?" Javi asked and Smurf reached for it and threw it at his feet.

"You can count it if you'd like" She responded with simply as he reached for the bag. Unzipping it, he checked the contents before standing back up to face her. Silence had filled the air as everyone kept looking between one another. "You got your money so give me back my daughter and we call it even"

Javi scoffed at her words. "You owe me a lot more than money. You owe me all the years that I had no parents, how I lived out on the street, you threw me out as if I were garbage"

Smirking at him, Smurf knew that speech was never going to end. "You're just like your father, you know that? Impulsive, hard-headed and a big cry baby. He couldn't do jobs right and he couldn't keep his greedy hands out of the money that belonged to us. I did you a favor Javi, he would have watched you turn out just like him and kicked you to the curb"

Jessica turned her head faintly to see Javi's reaction while taking a faint step back. She watched his hands tremble out of anger and wanted to step away for protection. Seeing him reach for the gun in his back waistband, she went to say something once he pointed the gun at Smurf. What happened next was a shock that no one saw coming except for two people. A shot had rung out which made Jessica gasp loudly and flinch until she watched Javi's body fall to the dirt ground. Looking at her right shoulder, he saw a spot of blood on her that were fresh.

Smurf stood there without even flinching as she had everything worked on from the second they arrived. Baz's mouth popped open as well as not expecting things to end the way they did. He rubbed his face for a minute before walking forward in order to pull Jessica away from the scene. She could feel a cry ready escape her throat but wanted to get out of there more than anything. Grabbing her around the waist gently, Baz started pulling her towards Smurf's SUV. Jumping inside the driver's seat again, he stared at Smurf through the windshield.

After making the rest of the deal with one of Javi's men, Smurf strutted back to the car and hopped inside. Baz hardly waited for her to even close the door as he sped off still trying to comprehend what exactly happened. The drive was quiet for the most part with Jessica's sobs in the backseat though she was trying to remain silent. Tears had streamed down her face in a mix of emotions which made Baz stop the car hard and she caught herself with her free hand. Jumping out, he walked in front of the car with his hands behind his head.

Smurf looked behind her to see her daughter before getting out of the vehicle as well. She didn't bother closing her door either as she walked over to him. Baz didn't want to face her but he had no choice to. "What the hell was that? He was going to take the money Smurf!"

"Oh really? Do you think a guy like that just cares about the money? He beats the shit out of J, kidnaps Nicky and Jessica, snaps her arm in half and wanted to kill me because of his Father. He wasn't going to just take the money Baz, you and I both know that"

"Javi was like family to us, we grew up with that kid. Are you kidding me?"

"And like family isn't family" Smurf said once they were face to face. Baz shook his head slowly and took his eyes off of her after hearing what she said. He and Smurf had been going at it for quite some time and he felt that was a jab at him. Smurf reached out and placed her hand on his cheek. "Listen to me, you are family, he wasn't"

Jessica was trying her best to listen to their conversation as she only heard Baz yelling at Smurf. She wondered what was going on out there, so she took it upon herself to lean forward and honk the horn. Both had turned their attention back to the SUV and made their way back. Baz got in first which made Jessica jump back into the middle of the seats.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Turning around in the seat to see her, Baz looked her over to study what she must have been feeling.

"Do I look it?" She told him back still not wanting to look him in the eye. Once Smurf got back into her seat as well, she also glanced at her daughter. Leaning forward, she reached for Jessica who was still leaning faintly forward. Kissing her on top of the head, Smurf smiled at her and that made Jessica go back into her seat.

After starting the car back up, Smurf had told them that they were meeting the rest of the family at the beach up on a clifftop. Pope had been there along with Deran, Craig, and J who were burning all of Manny's things. On top of it, the eldest was taking care of the bones so that there wasn't any evidence tracing back to Smurf. Following her orders, Baz went to the location that the Cody family was already at.

When the SUV approached, all of the boys had turned their attention to it. Baz was out first in order to help Jessica get out of the car since she couldn't use her right arm whatsoever. All of them had waited to see how she was considering they were all there for the phone call. Taking a glance at all of them, Jessica still wanted to keep her head low.

Pope had been the closest to the car and he stepped over in her direction. He wore black gloves which were covered in all sorts of things so he hadn't made any attempt to touch her. "Are you alright?"

Answering him with another nod, she was nearly knocked over when Craig came over to hug her. Jessica yelped from him hitting her elbow which made Pope hit his shoulder hard. "Watch her arm!"

Craig backed away quickly forgetting for a split second. "Jesus, sorry. I forgot all about it. How…How is it? I'm sorry Jessica, I should have known better"

"Getting a baseball bat to the elbow isn't exactly my kind of fun…You're okay as long as you don't tackle me again" Jessica told him trying to lift her own spirits as well as the tension.

Deran was sitting over by J on the bench before he got up and walked towards his older sister. Part of him didn't even want to say anything because he felt guilty for not being there to protect her. He also held anger at Smurf for not getting the money sooner. Jessica could feel him staring and knew that most of them were because of her face. Clearing her throat, Deran ruffled his hair for a moment. She held her left arm out for a hug which he accepted. While hugging him, she smiled a little at J who was still sitting there due to his leg.

"Where's the gun?" Smurf requested not saying a word to anyone except Pope. He looked away from his sister and pointed over towards the bench. She walked over there, tucked her hand within her sleeve and grabbed it. Tossing it into the ocean, Smurf watched proudly as the boys came through and this problem was behind her.

Deran and Craig also went back over to the bench with the younger sitting back down and Craig getting Smurf a beer from the cooler. Pope continued with burning the evidence and stayed in his own world once more. Jessica moved over to the side of the cliff with Baz in tow still making sure she was alright. He slipped his jacket off and put it around her shoulders after she mentioned that she was cold.

Smurf moved over to the cooler and grabbed another beer out, walked over to them and handed it out to Baz. He knew that she wasn't going to tell any of them about what really happened with Javi as they would have jumped down her back because of it. It was going to be a secret between Smurf, Baz, and Jessica.

Looking her over, he knew she was trying to make some sort of peace offering but he didn't want it. Baz was still angry over her actions and wasn't concerned about her. His primary target was Jessica because she needed help even though she hadn't said anything. Baz stood on her left side, placed his arm around her but was careful not to hit her arm. Jessica had tensed up for a second before getting used to his touch. She snuggled against him while staring at the fire that Pope just made after throwing a pile of clothes into a metal barrel. Smurf watched them avoid her gaze, Baz would hardly even look at her. For now, she knew the Javi situation was done…But the one at home was just starting.


	24. Wounds for Money

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica deals with the aftermath

By the time the Cody family got back home, it was nighttime and around nine o'clock. After Smurf tossed the gun into the ocean, they had stuck around for some time until Pope had cleaned up all of the evidence. The whole family was quiet except for a few moments where they would say something small to one another. It had mostly been random thoughts, checking on Jessica and when was it time to go home. The lines were still divided but none of them seemed to care.

After arriving back at the house, the boys had gone in first with J trailing behind them due to his leg once more. Nicky had gone to a friends for the night and Lena was at Crystal's. Baz had stayed back with Jessica who once again needed help getting in and out of the car. Even though her broken arm was the main problem, her ribs were hurting as well. When getting out of the car, she had taken a deep breath and hung onto Baz's arm for support.

He looked for over for a quick moment after shutting the door. "What's hurting?" Baz asked Knowing something else was bothering her beside her arm.

"It's nothing…I just don't know if I want to go back inside" She responded staring towards the garage. The memories were still haunting her as she remembered the incident with Javi. Wincing as she took a step, Jessica wanted to move her arm to the right side but then had to remember that it was broken.

Baz wasn't letting her go and stood in place with her until she was ready to walk. He knew that there was something else wrong but wasn't going to pry until he got her inside. Jessica's arm was badly broken I needed medical attention right away. Luckily for the family, she was a nurse and knew what to do.

After a moment Jessica lightly tugged on his arm in order for him to help her inside. Once they got in everyone was spread out around the house except for Pope and Smurf. The two of them were in the dining area where Smurf just moved the pool table for the time being. Baz helped Jessica lean against the pool table while he went to speak with their mother who was standing in the kitchen.

"Her arm is badly damaged and we need to do something quickly" Baz told Smurf who just stared back at him with a blank expression once again.

"You think I don't know that? I'm waiting for your brothers to get the first aid kit and then we will help her…Jessica is holding it together, don't you think?" She told him then stepped away.

Taking a glance at Pope, Baz moved back over to get her on to the pool table. Jessica followed his movement without any hesitation because she knew what had to happen next. If anyone in the family got injured during a job or even outside of one, she was always there to take care of them. It was weird for the tables to be turned to her, especially at Smurf's home. Putting her arm around his shoulders, Baz slipped his arm around her waist until she winced once his fingertips dug into her side. Jessica took a deep breath and fell faintly forward, it made him grow more suspicious.

"Pope…Come over here and help me" He said in urgency as Pope started making his way from the kitchen island to them. The room was poorly lit as a lot of the lamps were broken and no one turned on the rest of the lights. The eldest hit the switch and walked back over.

"I'm fine Baz…Just give me a second" She said trying to brush off the help, it was a new feeling for her.

Giving him a look to grab her, both brothers agreed to scoop her up. They had grabbed underneath her legs and placed an arm around her back. Lifting her, Jessica had trouble with only one arm but she managed to wiggle on it. She shimmed Baz's jacket off and placed it to the side of her. When she did that, Baz noticed her shirt came up faintly in the corner of her right side. Trailing his eyes down to it, he moved across from her in order to check out this injury. Grabbing the hem of her shirt, Jessica went to squirm away until Baz put his hand on her thigh in order for her to calm down.

"Hey…It's just me. Let me see and I'll leave it alone. It's just me" It hit him that she wasn't trying to hide the bruise, she didn't want anyone to touch her. After a moment, she agreed to it. Lifting up the red-stained yellow shirt, Baz saw the dark purple patch from her hip to her ribs. "Why didn't you tell me in the car?"

"I said I'm fine, it only hurts when I move" Jessica had tried pulling away from him which caused Baz to hold onto the corner of her shirt. Pope had watched silently and saw the bruises himself.

"You're not fine, I know what you look like when you are not fine. Let me see your arm" He spoke quietly.

Shaking her head, she pulled her arm away the second he let go of the hem. That caused her pain from the swift movement and Baz couldn't figure out why she was being fussy. Jessica was still keeping her gaze away from him, it made him wonder what Javi had said. He questioned if something else had gone on that he didn't know about. All Baz wanted was for Jessica to feel safe, for her wounds to heal and for this to stay in the past.

Gritting his teeth, he backed away from her without another word. Jessica silently watched him wanting to say something but she hadn't been in the mood. She wasn't mad at Baz, she just didn't want to seem vulnerable. During her lifetime, Jessica had always taken care of herself without the help of them. Sure she had gotten money from the jobs to live but this had been a different story. Her brothers had scared off one of her ex's, they had protected her when she needed them to but Jessica always felt alone compared to them. It had always been her job to take care of them, not the other way around.

"What took you two so long?" Pope asked seeing Craig following behind Deran out of the kitchen.

"I couldn't find the first aid kit. I thought it was in Smurf's bathroom but J had it in his" Craig said moving next to Jessica and opening it. He began looking through the contents before looking at Pope.

Deran took a seat on one of the bar stools in order to watch and help when he was needed. J had come in from the kitchen after hearing his name and also took a seat. "Sorry…I had to use it on my leg again"

Jessica turned her head to her right in order to see the kit. "I don't need that, I need my arm fixed before anything else" Reaching around her neck with her free hand, Jessica yanked the sheet in order to untie it. Craig helped her and she delicately pulled it away, revealing the biggest issue. Her elbow had been severely swollen and purple just like her ribs. Her arm was still in its bent position and she couldn't move it at all.

Glancing down at it, she blinked back her tears feeling the pain radiate since taking off the sling. "One of Javi's guys took a baseball bat…The other held my arm out and you all can guess what happened next" She had taken a breath and looked towards the ceiling. The Cody men exchanged views of her arm and each other's faces. "I have a distal humerus fracture"

Luckily Jessica knew what she was talking about as her medical background came in handy. "Um, I'm sorry what? Speak English Jess" Craig seemed the most confused.

With her head still tilted back, Jessica moved her eyes towards him. "It means that I have a broken elbow. The humerus bone is what goes from your shoulder to the elbow joint. The baseball bat hit directly on the lower part of the bone and broke it. My other bones I think are fine but without an x-ray, I can't tell you for sure"

Baz quickly turned away from her in order to see if Smurf was still standing in the kitchen. She had been watching with her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow when she saw him. "She needs a doctor, we have to take her to Mexico"

Jessica shook her head hard, her wavy hair falling behind her. "No…I know that we can do this here. I just need to guys to follow what I tell you"

Turning back around, Baz was skeptical about the situation. Her elbow was bad and all of them could see that. He didn't want to risk anything considering she said that she would need an x-ray. "Jess, we need to get you help"

"I know what I'm doing Baz, please" Hearing her say please reminding of him how she was pleading with him on the phone. Her tone had sounded similar put without the panic infused in it. No one else said anything but took glances between both of them. "I just need you guys to rebreak the bone. I'll be fine and if something comes up, I can go. I just want this pain to be gone. Once the bone gets back in place, the pain will tone down and I'm sure I can handle it"

Deran had been resting in his chin in his hand, his fingers were covering his mouth. He had also felt uneasy on what she wanted done so he took one last look around before saying something. "Baz is right, we don't know how bad your arm is…"

"I know what I'm talking about! Just fix my damn arm and let's move on with it, okay?" Jessica cut him off quickly and her voice was flooded with anger. She felt that none of them were listening to her when she knew exactly how to fix a broken bone. "Deran, I need you to go down to the clinic and get me a sling. Once my arm is rebroken, I need to put it in a sling so I don't move it. I can't put a cast on it because I don't have anything so I'll have to go to Mexico for that. Just trust me on this"

After a few minutes, Deran nodded to her and stood up. She told him that her keys to the clinic were in her jeep that was still parked in the driveway. If he enters through the back, he can sneak around the camera's in the building to get to the stockroom. There is one camera in the corner but as long as he covers his face, he'll be alright. Trusting Jessica and the boys, Deran left in order to get what she needed.

"What do you want us to do now?" Pope questioned.

"Okay…I need you to break the bone and put it back in place. I need something to bite down on because it's going to hurt like hell. Craig, I need you to hold onto me and make sure that you catch me" She responded as she took a peek towards him.

"Catch you for what?" He asked moving over to her side.

"I more am than likely going to pass out from the pain and I wouldn't like to add a head injury on my list. Baz, I need you to take me home once Deran gets back because I'm not going to be able to drive. My car keys are somewhere around here" Jessica began to look around the room as it was cleaned up to see if she could spot them.

Smurf placed her hands on the sink and leaned in their direction. "No baby, I want you to stay here tonight. This way I know you'll be taken care of with whatever you need. Baz, go pick up Lena from the babysitters and grab somethings for Jessica as she will be staying"

"Lena will be fine at Crystal's, she's having a sleepover with her daughter" He responded back to his Mother who narrowed her eyes.

"I asked you to do something and I want you to take care of it" Smurf's tone shifted and everyone could hear the boss coming out. She had the right tone for it and all of them knew if she used it, they would be in trouble if they didn't do as she said.

She disappeared towards one of the bathrooms in order to get Jessica rag to bite down on. That gave Baz the opportunity to do something and fast. Craig had moved around the pool table and towards the fireplace as he leaned against it. J still silently sat there while Pope stared between the two. Baz moved towards Jessica in which she finally looked up towards him.

"I'll be back soon, I promise" He commented while quickly yet gently kissing her on the lips. She had made little effort to respond to the gesture but Jessica grabbed his hand to let him know how she felt.

As Baz left, Smurf came back and handed Jessica a rag she found in the bathroom. She gave her daughter a look over then smirked while asking J to see where Nicky was. Once he left the room, Craig and Pope were ready to do what Jessica wanted.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Pope asked gripping her wrist, Jessica moved slightly from the touch.

Nodding, Jessica prepared herself for what was going to happen next. She swallowed hard once Pope placed one of his hands on her shoulder and the other near her elbow. Putting the rag in her mouth, she bit down as hard as she could. Craig stepped up and stood to the left as she asked. Even though putting the bone back in place would relieve some of the pain and pressure she had, it still was going to send her body into a jolt. Pope's brown eyes lingered towards his younger brother, Craig nodded for him to do so already.

Putting some pressure on her shoulder, Pope gripped her wrist and turned quickly. While twisting her arm, he wasn't sure if it exactly worked but he thought he felt something pop. Jessica yelped letting the rag fall from her mouth. The yelp stemmed from the pain and her eyes rolled back in her head. She had leaned towards Craig luckily and the impact only caused her to pass out for at least twenty seconds.

Craig held onto his sister once she felt and looked towards Pope to know what to do next. Once she woke up, he set her back up and she stared at her elbow. It was still obviously swollen and bruised but it wasn't out of place anymore. It would take time for it to heal but no matter what, she was still heading down to Mexico. All of them would make her go and Jessica knew she would have to at some point to make sure that things would heal properly, as well as extra bones that might have cracked which would require surgery. She really hoped that wasn't the case but an x-ray would tell everything.

After some time, Jessica tried her best to hop down from the pool table but her brothers had helped her. She thanked them and began walking away much to their confusion. She wanted to take a shower to clean herself of all the dried blood. No one had stopped her as she lazily walked away, Jessica's face showing pain as every step she took bothered her side.

Moving towards the bathroom, she stood in the doorway and stared into the room. It had been her old bathroom that she had when she lived there. Memories had floated in her head and distracted her for the time being. She didn't know why she was taking a shower because Baz wasn't back with her clothes yet. Part of her wanted to get it over and done with but for the most part, Jessica wasn't to wallow in pity.

Jessica was a fighter considering she was a Cody but she didn't think it would have ever come to that. She had seen her brothers filled with bruises, wounds and broken bones but not her. Turning on the water to the bathtub turned out to be a challenge because of her elbow and side. Jessica was right-handed, she couldn't use the arm whatsoever. Her side killed her to bend forward so it proved to be quite the challenge. She was surprised that Smurf didn't break in after she shut the door to help.

Undoing her jeans and getting out of them was another problem and took a few minutes. Her t-shirt was also a struggle because trying to get it around her arm was the worst of it all. After climbing in the tub, Jessica let the water hit her face. The heat felt good but also burned due to her lip and eyes. She was glad that all she had were bruises under her eyes rather than dealing with a broken nose. Javi's knee to the face was a crushing blow but luckily wasn't something that needed medical attention.

Watching the clear water turn red, Jessica's emotions had gotten the best of her. The dried blood from her hair and knees began washing away but it didn't take away anything else. As she slowly sunk down and into the tub, Jessica leaned her head against the wall so the water didn't hit her face. Tears began to mix with the water stream and they wouldn't stop. Raising her free hand to her mouth, Jessica wanted to contain her sobbing just in case Smurf or anyone else decided to step into the bathroom. She wanted to have the moment to herself in order to get out all that she felt.

Not only had she been a pawn for money, but Jessica also watched her ex-boyfriend get shot in front of her. Her mother had refused to give him the money he wanted which resulted in her broken elbow. Javi also mentioned something about Baz but she didn't remember what it was. Jessica was broken despite everyone trying to help her.

Once she was done compressing her emotions, she got enough strength to wash her hair and body. It took some time but she eventually managed to get through it without a problem. Now her issue was that she didn't have anything to change into but she saw something on the sink counter when she ripped the shower curtain open. Placing the dark green towel around her body, Jessica looked between the shirt and door. She assumed it was something Nicky gave her until Baz got back because she knew that it wasn't an item of hers. Picking it up, she realized it was one of Craig's t-shirts by the size.

Debating on whether she wanted to wear something of his, Jessica didn't have much of a choice. There was no way she would ask Smurf for clothes or resort to Nicky if she was even in the house. Drying off, she tossed the baggy t-shirt on and noticed a pair of pajama shorts which were definitely Nicky's.

It was now time to patch herself up as she still had wounds out and about. Her knees needed to be bandaged up and she wanted some for her other injuries. Jessica reached into a drawer in order to brush her hair but her reflection stopped it. She had looked like death ran over and she could hardly believe it was her. When the Cody's were much younger, Jessica had broken her nose when Craig was teaching her to skateboard. She knew that her nose wasn't broken this time around but that didn't stop her from poking at it.

The knock on the door startled her and she jumped back as far as she could. When it opened, Jessica watched Pope stare at her in confusion. "Deran just got back…" He said not taking his eyes away.

She had glanced between his face and his hand which was holding the sling. "Tell him I said thanks. Can I have it?"

Pope could tell that his younger sister had been shaken up. The expression on her face told stories and he knew that she needed someone to help her. Moving closer, he shut the door behind him and spoke, "Sit down over there"

Jessica turned her head towards the toilet knowing he wanted her to follow his orders. "I can do this myself, can I just have it?"

"I said sit down" His voice wasn't angry by any means, it just had a deeper tone to it. He was willing to help Jessica because it seemed like the others weren't around. Baz was still out, Deran was hanging out in the living room and Craig had been lying on his bed. Pope knew someone needed to be there for her and he was stepping up to the plate.

She hadn't been in the mood to argue and did what he said. Pulling the toilet seat down, Jessica gently wiggled down onto. Pope had looked at the sling trying to figure it out for a moment but when he solved it, he knew what to do. Wrapping her arm inside, he was being as gentle as he could but that didn't stop her from whining in pain.

He then went over to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of aspirins. Tossing a couple in his hand, Pope searched for a glass in order to fill it with water. "I know you don't want these but you need to take them. It will help with the pain"

Holding them out to her, Jessica hesitated grabbing them but needed something. Despite breaking her arm, it still was causing pain and she could feel a headache growing. It had been a long day of excitement and tears that she had been exhausted yet couldn't find any rest. Jessica had downed the pills no problem, drank the water and set the glass on the sink.

"You really don't have to do this, I can manage" She said softly.

Ignoring her comment, Pope started looking for the band-aids and peroxide. Her knees were still raw and needed attention before they got infected. When he found everything, he bent down in front of her. Dapping a towel peroxide, Pope applied it to her knees as she watched him carefully.

"Remember when I fell off my bike when I was six? Tore my knees up pretty bad" Jessica said biting her thumbnail. Pope nodded silently and continued his work. "Do you remember that time you guys found out about Max?" It seemed she was on a nostalgia trip.

"The time I beat the shit out of him with a pipe or the time you asked Baz and I to teach him a lesson?" Pope commented taking a glance at her.

Jessica turned her attention to the door. "I remember Smurf was throwing a party and we were all here. I wanted to go swimming but I couldn't because I had bruises all over my body. All of you already seen them at surfing earlier in the day but didn't say anything. Deran threw a fit about it. Craig overheard and ended up telling Baz. You found out and I remember you guys were wanting to kill him right then and there. You all chased him away" It was a memory that she fondly remembered but at this moment she didn't know why. "Anyway, I was scared to go back home with him and I stayed the night at your place. Baz came over in the morning and I asked you two to get rid of him for me…I never saw him again"

When Jessica stayed the night at Pope's that evening, she was toying with the idea of leaving her abusive relationship. It occurred to her that the treatment she received wasn't good and that she deserved better. She had asked her older brother to do her a favor by getting payback but Baz had stepped in when they were talking about it. Due to his relationship with Jessica, he quickly agreed to lend a hand. She didn't ask many questions but knew that they did enough damage to Max that he'd never step foot in Oceanside again.

The duo had stayed quite as Jessica watched him open the band-aids and place them on her knees. Pope was standing at the sink wetting a cold rag for her lip. Handing it out to her, she took a deep breath and accepted the offer.

"Why doesn't she care about me?" Jessica questioned staring at him. She picked at the dark blue cloth with her free hand.

It caught Pope's attention right away and it seemed like he had even been thinking the question over. "It's Smurf…You know she cares in her own way"

Shaking her head, Jessica spoke. "No she doesn't, she's never given a shit about me. I don't get it, I've never done anything wrong. Sure, I've screwed plenty of times but what did I ever do for her to hate me?"

Ever since the phone call to Smurf over money, it was clear to Jessica that Smurf would rather protect her own money rather than her own child. If it were the other way around, her elbow would be fine and she wouldn't have to make a trip to Mexico. She would have been home in a heartbeat, not tied to a chair with nowhere to go. If she would have been a boy…

Pope shook his head slightly before shaking it. "This was Javi's fault"

"No it wasn't, it's all on her. Javi came here because Smurf didn't give him the money he wanted. I've been fighting all my life because I didn't have anyone on my side. I didn't have a Mother to care for me like she did for all of you, my Dad is nowhere in sight because she scared him away…I forgive Javi for what he did but Smurf…If it were J in my shoes…"

He couldn't disagree with anything she said because she was making a point. He was closer to Julia than he ever was to Jessica considering they were twins. She was much younger than him in years and spent most of her time hanging out with Craig and Deran. It didn't change the fact that they were blood and that they would do anything for each other. Pope was there if Jessica ever needed him just like the others. Jessica's emotions were high right now due to everything that had transpired but her hurt was starting to show.

Placing the cold rag to her lip, she flinched for a second until the coolness started to numb it slightly. Removing it a second later, Jessica wiped under her left eye as she could feel a tear ready to slip out. "I could have done this all myself you know"

"I know but I'm your brother" Pope said simply, watching her for a second then moved towards the door in order to step out.

"Javi's dead…" She blurted out knowing that it was supposed to be kept quiet. Smurf would never want this to get out and would rather it stay between the three of them. As far as the others knew, Javi took the money and went back to Arizona. It hooked Pope from the start and he turned to face her.

"What do you mean Javi is dead?"

Staying quiet, Jessica put the cold rag back to her lip. She wasn't sure if she should continue because if Pope confronted Smurf about it, all would fall back on her. Jessica opened up a can of worms with her sentence. Thinking the situation over, she trusted Pope but she didn't know if she could keep him to keep quiet.

"The other guy that was with Javi shot him in the head…I was standing right behind him when it happened. He took the money and started screaming at Smurf then he pulled a gun on her. Seconds later the guy shot him, some of that blood wasn't mine"

Covering her mouth with her left hand, Jessica was struggling to fight back her emotions once again. It wasn't an everyday occurrence that she watched someone she once loved die in front of her in cold blood. She wanted to hold it together so no one could see her struggle but it was getter harder to do so. The Cody's all struggled in their lives, they've watched each other fall and they watched everyone pick their feet back up.

Noticing her emotional shift, Pope could see that Jessica was breaking from the inside out. He was willing to take care of her and help her whatever way she needed. Blinking a couple of times to fight the tears, Jessica was pushing it to the side in order to regain her composure.

"You need sleep, you've had a hard day" That had been the understatement of the year.

Jessica had finally agreed with him and gripped the edge of the sink in order to stand up. Pope took her by her uninjured arm to help while grabbing the door. Putting his arm around her shoulder, he guided her through the house and to the free room that she and Julia once shared when they were kids. Craig had offered for her to stay in his bedroom so she would be right next to everything in the house such as the bathroom and kitchen. Jessica had declined not wanting to sleep in Craig's bed because she didn't who had been in it and she knew what went on in there. guiding her down the hall, hope stopped in the doorway for her.

"I'll be right outside if you need me. Baz Should be back soon"

Not saying a word Jessica moved carefully into the room and took a look around. I look different from when she was a kid but she didn't have that much recollection of it from before. Even though it was her old room she eventually switched out into the guest bedroom once Julia got older.

Closing the door behind him Pope went straight into the dining area and grabbed a wooden chair. He set it outside of her door and went hunting for the gun when he kept in the house. His shotgun was always hidden somewhere in the kitchen he found it in an instant, Luckily Javi hadn't found it. Sitting down in the chair with perfect posture, he placed the gun in his lap and watched guard. After finding out what actually transpired changed his viewpoint but he was going to be there for Jessica first.

When Baz arrived back at Smurf's, the house was silent compared to what he thought it was going to be like. Smurf was still in the kitchen, cleaning up a couple of messes she still had to take care of. Lena drew her attention away as she took her grandchild to her bedroom in order to read her a nook before bed. He began to roam the house for Jessica, a bookbag full of items for her. When coming down the hallway, he saw Pope quietly sitting with his head up high.

"Is she in there?" Baz questioned, raising the bag slightly to show that he had got her clothes.

Nodding, Pope hardly took a glance at him as his brown eyes were just fixed down the hall. "Can I get past or are you going to shoot me?"

"I did this for Lena when she was having nightmares. I sat outside her bedroom just in case she needed me" Pope spoke looking at Baz once he got close enough to the door. "Why didn't you tell me that Smurf had Javi killed?"

It took Baz a second to figure out how he found out but he knew that Smurf wouldn't have said anything. "I was going to tell you, I just didn't have the time to say anything yet"

Turning his head back towards the hall, Pope wasn't going to comment anything else. Baz had taken a glance at his brother before turning the doorknob. He wasn't sure if Jessica was asleep or not so he was trying to be as quiet as possible. The main lights were out except for the one sitting on the bedside table. It faintly lit the room up and he could see her outline sitting on the bed.

Jessica hadn't turned her head to see who it was as she figured it was Baz. He placed the bag of clothes towards the dress when was right by the door. Stepping over to her, he sat on the edge of the bed. The blonde had been picking at the comforter until he grabbed her hand.

"How's the arm? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"Pope wanted me to get some sleep but I don't think I can fall asleep" Jessica had sniffled before removing her from his. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand gently feeling the sting hit her. "Will you stay with me?"

Agreeing with her remark, Baz promised he would stay with her. "He took care of me when you were out" Jessica had one of her knees folded while the other had been stretched out on the bed. He could see the bandage so his look went between that and her face. "I look like a mess, you can say it"

"You look the same as you always do, minus these" Baz had reached out and lightly touched under her eyes, his fingers tracing the bruises. He offered a slight smile and a faint laugh which made the corner of Jessica's mouth curl faintly.

"I don't know what to do with myself, I don't know what to think. I almost wish I never came back here. If I would have just stayed away…"

"It wouldn't have made that much of a difference. Javi would have still come around and one of us would have been in your shoes. I just wish I would have been at the house that night. I should have come with you"

"And then what? You end up like J or worse?" She asked knowing that if Baz would have been present, things would have gotten darker than they already had been. Javi already knew their past history and that would have fallen perfectly in his hands. Jessica looked at him with a serious expression. "I can take care of myself, you know that right?"

"And I'm still going to care about you even if you don't care about yourself half of the time" Baz replied back knowing where she was going with the conversation. Jessica wanted to make it clear that she didn't need to rely on anyone but in actuality she did. She needed her family more than ever but she was still pushing back against them.

Another thing that the family did was hide their pain when they were dealing with it. Smurf always told them to they needed to be strong with whatever they faced and that was what she still was trying to do.

Feeling her eyes brim with tears again, Jessica was ready to let loose. "I just want the pain to go away, I don't think I can handle this"

Finally letting go, her watery blue eyes unleashed the ocean. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she began sobbing. It was getting harder for her to hold it together and she wanted to do so in front of Baz. Jessica was trying to be strong for everyone but hearing his words really changed her opinion.

Grabbing her hand again, Baz moved more onto the bed and wrapped his arm around her. He had to be careful with her arm but at least she was fine on her left side. She didn't hesitate leaning into him because she wanted someone to be there for her. Pope had been earlier but one was her brother and one wasn't.

"I promise you that I am going to keep you safe. You and I are in this together whether you want to be or not" He told her, not knowing if she was going to take his word for it.


	25. Out like a Light

When Jessica Cody woke up the next morning, she felt like a train had ran over her twice. She had a hard time sleeping through the pain she felt and trying to lay in a position that wouldn't bother her arm. The only option she had was to lay on her back or on her left side but they it took a lot out of her to roll back over. Baz had stayed with her all night like she asked and didn't think for second he wouldn't have.

He had been her only sense of comfort through the night. It was nice for her to count on someone because it always seemed like the world had been against her. Whenever she got back into drugs, Jessica could only count on herself because if she asked any of them for anything, it usually ended in a rehab trip. On top of it, Jessica had to count on herself when Smurf kicked her out of the house when she was sixteen.

After waking up, Jessica rubbed the back of her head and looked towards the right of the bed. Baz was nowhere in sight, she figured that he had gotten up earlier for Lena. She always kept her phone on the bedside table but that wasn't there either. It was last in Deran's room and she had no idea if any of them had found it or not. Swinging her foot onto the floor, Jessica pushed off the bed with her free hand and in the process forgot about her ribs. Nearly falling back onto the ground, the Cody sister took a couple of deep breaths before standing up straight.

The bedroom door was closed by the room was still lit up with the early morning sun creeping in. Walking a few feet forward to the dresser, her black bookbag sat on the floor. It never occurred to Jessica how she was going to get dressed and how she was going to get the clothes out. If her arm had been in a cast it would have been easier but she was still bound to move her arm faintly while doing activities.

It was almost as if Baz read her mind because there had been a knock at the door. He cracked it slightly to see if she was still sleeping. "Hey…How are you feeling?"

Jessica stared at him for a split second then shifted her eyes towards the bag. "I can't reach the bag…Can you get it for me?" She felt awkward asking but there wasn't much she could do.

Nodding, Baz let go of the door and moved over to her side. Bending down for the bag, he placed it on the brown dresser for her to search through. Baz took it upon himself to pull the clothes out of the bag and lay them for her to see.

"I didn't know what you would want so I grabbed a little of everything. Some sweatpants, shorts, t-shirts, a hoodie. What do you want to wear?"

Looking her things over, Jessica snatched a pair of underwear as quick as she could. She didn't want them just laying around for him to see even though he is the one that brought them in the first place. Baz watched her snatch them up and found it pretty amusing that she was doing so. Scanning over the clothes, Jessica picked out jean shorts and a gray hoodie. It was simple enough and she didn't want to dress fancy. Getting the hoodie on was going to be a problem as she couldn't bend her arm do the sling. She had no choice but to ask Baz to help her.

He turned away when she went to change her underwear to give her privacy. Jessica didn't have much trouble with the shorts even though she had a wiggle a couple times in order to get in them. While Baz still had his back turned she reached for her bra to put on. Slipping out of Craig's shirt with ease, Jessica slowly realized but she couldn't clasp it shut without using her other hand. Debating on asking Baz for help, she tossed it onto the bed and quickly grabbed a t-shirt.

She called out to him with the hoodie hanging from her good arm. Jessica had no idea how she was going to get it on but she had been cold in the house. Baz offered to give her his jacket again she wanted to be wrapped in her own clothes. After a faint struggle and Jessica dealing with the pain, the hoodie went right over her head. He grabbed the sling that she was wearing, helped her get back into it and waited for her to fix her hair. The bedroom had gotten quiet again as the couple look towards one another.

"You need to eat something. Smurf made breakfast this morning for Lena, there should be some left" He told her folding the t-shirt in his hands.

Jessica lightly nodded before dragging herself to the door. "At least I know it isn't poisoned…" She joked quietly remembering the last conversation about breakfast. Jessica did mean it this time around as she was still iffy on the idea of even being around Smurf.

Moving through the hallway, Pope wasn't in his chair compared to last night and she was glad that she didn't have to face him. Baz told her how he was outside the door all night, even at three in the morning when he went to check on Lena. Pope was still sitting, gun tucked in his lap and completely awake. She wasn't sure what time it was or if anyone was in the house as it was quiet.

Jessica rubbed her eyes gently before popping them open once she reached the kitchen. To her surprise, Lena was sitting at the dining table. It took the Cody sister a minute because she remember the pool table was there last night and she wondered who moved it. Lena had been sitting with half eaten pancakes in front of her when she popped her head up.

They stared at each other for a few seconds until Jessica moved closer to the refrigerator. She noticed a plate sitting on the kitchen island filled with eggs, pancakes and fresh fruit. Lena removed herself from the chair and walked towards her.

"Grandma Smurf made you a plate. I was going to bring it to you but she said you needed sleep" Her voice was delicate and she took a look at the plate then at her Aunt.

"What time is it?" Jessica asked getting smacked with the early morning sun when she went for the empty coffee that was sitting next to the plate. Looking around for the coffee maker, she spotted it and went to pour a cup.

When she spun around, the plate was gone and she watched Lena carry the plate over to the table. It was a gesture that she didn't expect so she added a quick splash of milk and sugar in her coffee. Walking slowly to the table, Jessica plopped down in the empty chair next to Lena. Baz's daughter scooted the plate towards her and went back to the sink to grab her a fork. Jessica didn't know why she was going out of her way for her but she waited until Lena came back.

"Thanks…Did Grandma Smurf make good pancakes?" She asked trying to grab the fork with her left hand, she struggled with gripping it as she wasn't left handed.

"They're okay, I'm sure you could make better ones. I like your cooking" Lena responded while taking a big bite from her plate. She took a glance at her while chewing then grabbed her glass of milk when she was done. Lena watching her struggled with her food before asking her a question. "Aunt Jessica? What happened?"

Jessica had gotten tired of playing around with the fork so she grabbed a grape with her free hand. Popping it into her mouth, she paused at the question, chewed the piece of fruit then spoke. "Remember when I told you skateboarding was dangerous? Let's just say not to go down Auburn Hill because you'll crash and break your arm just like I did"

Auburn Hill was a frequent spot for teenagers who wanted to be daredevils and practically kill themselves on their skateboards. It was a dangerous spot in one of the local neighborhoods as the hill was very steep, moderate with traffic and had an injury rate that was high. Jessica was glad she had always been good with quick thinking because she wasn't going to tell Lena what happened whatsoever.

Offering the young girl a faint smile, Lena had another question. "Aren't you a doctor? Can't you just fix it?"

"I'm a nurse, not a doctor, I don't get to do all those interesting things that doctors do. If it were that easy, I would be able to eat"

Lena had nodded at her then went back to her breakfast. Jessica wasn't sure if she bought her story or not even though her wounds could be from a skateboarding accident. She was still a child so she was glad that she had no idea what the Cody family did.

She had a few more bites of her food before jumping up and heading into the sitting room. Lena came back, her pink bookbag adorned with glittery unicorns in tow. Jessica had watched her place it on the dining table to dig out a matching folder.

"Can you sign this paper for me?" She asked pulling out a pale yellow sheet.

"I can't sign it, I'm not your parent. Why don't you ask your Dad?" She questioned but still took ahold of the paper.

"He can't sign it…"

The first thing Jessica thought of was that Lena had gotten in trouble and was afraid to tell Baz about it. He was still distant to his daughter, a trait that Jessica wasn't taking to kindly. At the same time, the Cody siblings pulled stuff like that all the time by faking Smurf's signature on anything. Pope had the highest rate being suspended, Baz and Craig followed in suit with the most detentions. Julia was always tardy compared the others, Deran flunked most of his tests and Jessica had the best grade average before dropping out. Lena and J seemed to have a good head on their shoulders where school mattered.

As Jessica glanced at Lena for a moment, her stormy eyes scanned the paper and when she began reading it to herself, she couldn't believe it. "Lena…This is a mother and daughter event"

Nodding faintly, the girl's face showed little emotion. "Mommy was supposed to take me and I don't want Grandma Smurf going"

Jessica's heartstrings had pulled tight when she mentioned Catherine. It was clear that Lena was having issues without her Mom around as any child would her age. Pope had been doing a good enough job taking care of her with Jessica helping out whenever she could. It wasn't fair to her that Baz wasn't doing his part. Her words were caught in her throat, there was nothing she could say.

"I don't really like Lucy either so I wanted you to take me" Lena said sitting back in her chair.

"Lucy? How do you know…You know what, where is a pen?" After hearing Lucy's name, she wasn't aware that she had been around Lena. She knew that Baz was cheating on Catherine while they were together but had no idea that she was brought around Lena. After the girl quickly dug in her bag for a black pen, Jessica didn't hesitate signing her name on the dotted line. "There, you and I have a date two weeks from now so how about we don't tell Grandma Smurf or Lucy"

"I like that idea…Thank you Aunt Jessica" After tucking the paper back inside of her folder, Lena pushed it towards her bookbag then turned to her. She got off the chair, leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Jessica. The hug was gentle as Lena didn't want to hurt her arm.

Baz had walked into the kitchen after fixing the bedroom that Jessica had slept in. He also went to clean Lena's up while he was at it but stopped in his tracks when he saw the two of them. Smirking faintly, he grabbed a cup of coffee as Lena let go of Jessica.

"Hey Lena, can you go get your jacket and shoes on. I'm taking you to school this morning"

Nodding at him, the little girl skipped off to go get her things before school. Jessica debated on telling Baz that she was taking Lena to a school dance but wondered if she should keep it a surprise. Then again, she doubted he even knew about it considering she spent most of her time with Pope.

Taking a seat across from Jessica, Baz watched her reached for the bookbag before helping her with it. "What's that?" He asked nodding his head towards the folder.

Oh it's nothing…" Tucking it back inside, Jessica held the shiny bag in her lap. "There's a mother/daughter dance at her school. She asked if I could go with her so I signed the paper" At the moment she was too lazy to even mention that Lena knew Lucy.

He hadn't said anything but took a sip of his coffee. Baz had to process it but didn't have a problem whatsoever. "Good, I'm glad that she wanted you to go. It's better than Smurf taking her"

"I wasn't aware that you were going back to school?" Smurf joked coming in from the living area to see Lena's bookbag in Jessica's lap. She had showed up right on the heels of his sentence, he took another drink once she appeared in the kitchen.

"I think I'm a little too old to carry around a bookbag covered in unicorns. Maybe if I were twelve again but not while I'm thirty-three" Jessica replied playing around on her plate for a second.

"Thank God…I've got one kid to take care of now, I don't need a second" Baz commented

"It's my bookbag Grandma Smurf…I'm ready for school now" Lena said as she waited in the doorway.

Baz took one last drink before standing up. Fishing around in his pants pocket for the keys, he had looked over at Jessica who was watching him silently. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

Smurf had been washing a few dishes in the sink keeping her eyes locked on them. She knew for a fact that they had spent the night together because she knew everything that went on in her house. The two of them had still been acting like nothing was going on but it was clear to everyone what was going on. Baz was paying more attention to her than the others for obvious and different reasons. They both knew that Baz and Julia couldn't have been a thing so they couldn't be together either, as long as Smurf was present.

"Would you do me a favor Baby?" Smurf asked waiting for Baz to turn around to see her. "I've got a list of things I need to do for the day. I need new security cameras, a few groceries and rent from some of my buildings. Could you do these after you drop Lena off?"

She pointed her head towards the refrigerator where there had been a piece of paper hanging. J had usually done the trips to get the rent but he was going to school. Besides that, she had a plan in mind that she wanted Baz to follow. Smiling warmly at him, Smurf raised her eyebrows waiting for an answer.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he debated on doing her chores. Baz didn't want to leave Jessica at the house by herself for a couple of reasons. "Um…Yeah I guess I can"

Moving towards her list, he picked it up and scanned it over. Smurf had continued to wash her dishes while occasionally glancing up to look at her daughter. After Lena insisted they were going to be late, Baz eventually left and the two Cody women were the only ones in the kitchen.

Jessica hadn't said a word to her Mother since their first interaction as she wasn't sure she could say anything. She was still furious with her on how she handled everything with Javi leading to her injuries. Getting up from the table, Jessica picked up her plate and stepped over to the garbage to scrape the rest of her food off. Waiting for Smurf to finish the dish she had in her hand, she handed it to her.

"What the breakfast okay? It was Lena's choice this morning" She asked her.

"It was fine, thanks" Jessica responded simply, wanting to keep it brief.

Her daughter turned away and went back to the kitchen table. She scooped up her coffee and held it in her hand while staring out the patio doors. Smurf finished at the sink before drying her hands off in the towel. "Is something bothering you? Are you in any pain?"

"Well let's see. My head is pounding, my nose hurts and on top of it, my arms stings like a bitch. I can't even move because my ribs kill so let's just say I'm having loads of fun right now" She said back before taking a glance at Smurf.

Brushing off her sarcasm, Smurf went to pour herself a cup of coffee. She walked over to the chair that Baz was in and sat down. "Have you taken anything for it?"

"Pope gave me some aspirin last night, you know I can't take anything else"

Taking another drink out of her cup, Jessica watched Smurf dig in her jacket pocket. Pulling out an orange tube, she knew exactly what was it in.

"Smurf…" She said the mug down and watching in disbelief.

"Craig gave me some of these this morning. I asked him so I could give them to you. You're in pain Jessica, I understand that. You need something to take the edge off"

Shaking her head, she kept her eyes on them for a second then looked up towards her Mother. "I…I can't. You know what's going to happen"

"Look at you Jessica, you are a strong girl and you always have been. You held your own against Javi didn't you?"

"And got the shit beat out of me, let's face the facts" Jessica lifted her arm faintly still locking eyes with Smurf.

Smurf looked at her sternly. She knew that her daughter was furious, she knew that she was hurting and she knew exactly how to bend this to her advantage. One thing about the Cody Matriarch was that she didn't like when things didn't go as planned or if they didn't work in her favor. She was able to pick apart something and make it work, something she was trying to do now.

"But you held on didn't you? You know exactly how our family works and I know you wouldn't ever put this family in jeopardy. I shouldn't have trusted Jake with the money and I should have gotten you sooner. I never wanted any of this to happen but you stayed strong for all of us. You shouldn't have to suffer because of a mistake that I made, that Javi made"

Listening to her words, Jessica took a breath and looked away from her. She traced her finger on the coffee mug not knowing how to even answer she. A lot of times she questioned whatever Smurf told her because she took it with a grain of salt. It was hard having her as a Mother due to that fact but Jessica always tried making the best out of situations.

Even though she was angry with Smurf, Jessica had no choice but to be around her as Smurf wouldn't let her go so easily. "Yeah well…" She still couldn't put a sentence together so she lifted her eyes back in her direction.

Pointing her head towards the medication, Smurf stood back up and moved closer to the blonde. She bent down and kissed Jessica on the top of her head, something she did to all of her children. Once again, she wasn't sure how to receive the attention or the flattery. It was common for her but Jessica was feeling down and out, all she had in the end was her family.

Backing away, Smurf picked up her coffee and strolled into the living room. Putting her focus back onto the pill bottle, Jessica couldn't believe she was going to grab them as she was on the fence still. Snatching them up with her free hand, Jessica got up the best she could and scurried out of the kitchen. She wanted to head back to her bedroom for silence and peace. Passing Craig's room, she stepped past then moved backwards after noticing he was lying on his bed and that Nicky and J were gone.

Pausing in the doorway, Craig had was lying across the bed on his stomach and only looked up when he saw feet. He knew it was her by her baby blue nail polish and was relieved that Nicky had gone to school instead of hanging around the house.

"Wow…You look like shit. How's it going?" He commented looking her over before resting his chin on his knuckles.

"I feel exactly how I look but thanks for sharing your thoughts" She replied before raising the orange tube. "What are these?"

Squinting to see the bottle, he sat a little straighter before shaking his head. "I can't read that from here, toss em" Doing as he asked, Craig caught it before sitting up in order to check them out. The bottle didn't have a label on them but he knew they were something heavy. "I have no idea, I probably scored these off of someone at a party. Where did you find them?"

"It doesn't matter…Can I have them back?" Craig had been flipping the bottle in his hand while opening the cap to see if he could figure out what they were when she asked. Stopping to look at her, Jessica's eyes were set to him and it gave him a flashback of previous times. It wasn't the first time that he was put in this situation and he always felt that he was a supplier. Snapping the top shut, he held it up.

"Are you seriously going to take these? I thought you were taking the almighty road of recovery" He said debating on handing the bottle back. "You know Baz will kick my ass if he finds out"

"Jesus Craig, I'm just taking medication not snorting a line of cocaine. I can I please just have it back?" She asked again moving a little ways into the room. She wanted to snatch it out of his hand as she was at a good reach but couldn't due to her arm. Jessica kept her blue eyes on him until he held it out for her to take. "I control my life, Baz doesn't"

"Well it doesn't seem like that" He commented lowly but loud even that she would be able to hear him. It caught her attention once she walking away so Jessica stopped in the doorway yet again. She spun around to see him.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean…" He wasn't in the mood to get into an argument with her considering all that they have gone through in the past few days. It wasn't the direction he wanted to go in either because he and Jessica always clashed but this wasn't the right time. She narrowed her eyes at him and he rolled around on his bed not answering.

"I asked you a question Craig, what are you trying to imply?" Jessica questioned him again.

Biting his tongue, Craig's eyes lingered towards the ceiling thinking that if he ignored her that she would just go away. It worked when they were younger but she didn't seem to budge now. Sighing heavily, he knew he had to say something or she wouldn't leave.

"Every time you are around him Jessica you are a different person. You're not going to admit it but you two are not hiding anything. Everyone knows including Smurf so you can quiet pretending. Baz controls everything you do and you go along with it. He's trying to compete with Smurf, he was doing that before you came back. Baz wants control of this family, including you because he knows he can"

Craig raised his eyes to glance at her knowing that he was about to hear a mouthful from her. They always acted like true sibling as both did something the irritate the other. He was used to it by now so he quietly waited for her to say something…Except she didn't. Jessica's eyes had been lowered to the floor, clearly hearing everything he said but she never opened her mouth once. She simply turned away, stepped down the hall and into her old room.

Two hours had gone by since the previous events and Baz was back at the house. He wanted to get all of them into a family meeting because he had yet to tell them about lending Smurf the money. None of them knew that he gave up a large chunk of their church money and if they found out before he told them, all hell would break lose. Pope was the first to arrive as usual since Jessica and Craig were already at Smurf's.

Baz sat by the fireplace in the main room where they always held any meeting, mostly about jobs. Pope took his usual place across from him on the couch, Craig sprawled out towards his left and Jessica plopping down in the chair. She had been rubbing her forehead since she sat down which caught Baz's attention but he brushed it off for the time being. J had still been in school so no one had to worry about him at the moment.

Deran came walking in from the kitchen and took a seat by Craig. "Alright I'm here, so what's this for because I've got shit to do" He said quickly turning his attention towards his older brother.

"Okay well then I'll try to make this quick then. You all remember when we got into the argument with Smurf about giving Javi money in order to get Jessica back right?" Baz was thankful that Smurf had stepped out of the house while he talked to them. "Well I haven't been honest with how this all went down…I had to give Smurf money from the church heist"

Craig was the first to jump in. "What? You gave Smurf our money?" He spoke with annoyance clear in his voice. Baz nodded in his direction yes which made Craig run a hand through his hair. "We haven't even split it yet and you give it to her?"

"I thought we had to launder it before doing anything with it?" Deran chimed in.

"We always do but after she gave Jake the money, she apparently had nothing else to give so I had to give her the cash. I made the call without telling any of you because we had no choice to"

The two Cody brothers now turned to Pope wanting to get his opinion as well. Jessica was listening but hadn't paid much attention due to the fact that she was kidnapped when it all happened. She also had pills running through her veins so she was off in her own world.

"How much money did you give her?" He finally spoke.

Baz glanced at all of them before speaking. "It was two hundred thousand but she's going to pay us back no matter what, I'll make sure of it" Craig had rolled his eyes with a dramatic sigh. "What did you want me to do? Smurf wasn't going to give up any of her own money for Jessica to come back. This wasn't about us, this was about getting her back safe"

All the boys had looked towards their sister and she just lifted her head from her hand. Jessica looked between everyone because she hated when people stared at her. "What? This wasn't my fault if that's what your thinking"

"No one is blaming you, it's all on me. If I never trusted Jake, you wouldn't have been put through that" Smurf had been standing in the hallway, placed her hands on the bannister and leaned in their direction. "Javi's dead anyway so you don't have to worry about me paying you back. I'll have it in a month"

"Wait, what? Javi's dead?" Deran questioned dragging his blue eyes towards his Mother and then looked to Jessica for confirmation. Pope also had his eyes locked on her.

Smurf shook her head yes and moved away from her spot. She didn't say another word and strolled off into the kitchen in order to prepare dinner. She wanted to leave the discussion for Baz and Jessica hence the reason she ducked away quickly. Smurf was good at that, having the others dig themselves in a hole rather than her doing it to herself.

"That was my next point I was going to make, okay?" Baz said clasping his hands together and leaning forward on his knees.

"What the hell Baz? First you come tell us that you took half of our money and now Javi is dead…This is going to back fire on us" Craig jumped in again.

"No it's not. Smurf ordered him to get killed, she payed them all the money so they will leave us alone. Javi's crew were having problems with him already so she got rid of the problem" Baz replied back.

"Where were you?" Deran asking putting his eyes back on Jessica.

The blonde Cody had her head leaned back and snapped her eyes open when she felt a pair were on her again. Slowly lifting her head, she took a glance at Pope knowing he knew everything already. "I was standing right there, he was inches away from me and I watched Javi get his brains blown out. Does that work for you?"

Baz had been watching her movements wondering what was going on but he had seen her this way before. It reminded him of something, and he started wondering what he missed while he was gone. Jessica's eyes darted around the room again before setting her sights on her arm. "Look…I need to go to Mexico. I might need surgery"

Jessica bent her head forward in order to take the sling off. Slipping it over her head, she managed to unhook the front of it and took some of the bandage off that she wrapped it in last night. Without saying a word, she traced her fingers over the bruises and lump that was growing.

All the men watched her carefully with Craig making a face at how nasty it looked. Taking a deep breath, Baz turned away from her. "Okay…I guess I've said enough for now. Smurf will give us the money back, just take my word for it. Let's focus on everything else right now, alright?"

Finally coming to an agreement, they all went their separate ways except for Pope, Baz and Jessica. Wrapping her arm back up, she focused on that while Baz got up and stepped over to her. "I'll grab some of your things and I'll take you down to Mexico myself"

She ignored his comment while slipping the sling back over her head. Her wavy locks fell forward in front of her face so he couldn't if she heard him or not. Bending down next to her legs, he placed a hand on her knee while bobbing his head around to look at her. "Jess? Are you listening to me?"

Taking a look towards Pope, he was watching curiously due to her behavior. Jessica blew a piece of hair out of her face and finally spoke. "No, I want you to stay with Lena. I'll go and handle it myself"

"You can't even drive, you're not going across the border by yourself either. I'll take you to make sure everything is alright. We'll leave in a half hour so I can gather some of your things"

"I said no Baz. I don't want you to go"

Blinking his blue eyes, there had been ice in her voice and her sentence came out harsh. Pope leaned forward after hearing her and wondered what was going on as well. "I'll go. I'll make sure everything goes smoothly"

Shaking his head no, Baz turned to see him. "I should be the one going, not you"

"Would you rather it be Craig?" He questioned him knowing that Jessica would throw a fit if Baz ended up going. Pope didn't mind taking her just like he didn't mind helping her last night. Even though he didn't wear his emotions on his sleeve, he still had them much to everyone's surprise half of the time.

Pope had been making a valid point as he was the best fit to take Jessica besides Baz. He could also keep an eye on her because he too had noticed a shift in Jessica's behavior. Taking a deep breath while thinking it over, Baz agreed in order to avoid a conflict with her.

"Okay…I'll stay here and Pope can take you" He spoke again trying to look at her face. Jessica's eyes weren't making contact with either of them compared to before and Baz finally figured out why. Standing back up, he moved out of the way in order for her to grab whatever she wanted on her trip.

Getting up slowly, Jessica covered her mouth for a moment feeling a wave of nausea wash over her. She moved away from them after she got her balance back and started off to the hallway. Baz waited for a second before calling out to her.

"You know, I never should have left you here" Not only was Baz talking about the Javi situation, but he was referring to leaving her with Smurf in her presence.

Turning around to see him, Jessica finally put her eyes on him. "You're gonna have to leave me at some point.

Once Baz got a good look at her and looked into her eyes, he figured out it simply by that. Jessica made the mistake of looking at her as she was still close enough for him to see. Letting her leave, Baz turned to Pope and started to lay down the rules for Mexico.

The Cody siblings left almost an hour later leaving everyone at Smurf's. It was going to take them eleven hours to get there so they more than likely were going to stay for a day. Pope said he would keep him informed on what was going on and that was the best Baz was going to get. Part of him was glad she was out of the house because he wanted to talk to Smurf.

The matriarch had been fixing lunch in the kitchen for her boys. Smurf had sent her children off with lunch as well so now it was her turn to make everyone else something. Baz searched the house for her, found her and ordered her to step outside.

She didn't move and inch at his remark until she noticed him walking back and forth outside. Smurf knew exactly what he was going to confront her about but she could simply care less. Wiping her hands in a kitchen rag, she strutted outside and cracked the screen door just in case the others popped in.

"What happened while I was gone?" Baz asked stopping in place and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Nothing happen, what do you think went on?" She questioned back.

"What is she on? What did you give her to take?" He knew that Smurf had a hand in how Jessica was acting because she was fine when he left but there was something wrong by the time he came back.

Crossing her arms defensively, Smurf narrowed her eyes at him knowing that she was being accused of Jessica's actions. "I don't know Barry, maybe she dug in the medicine cabinet"

Whenever Smurf called him by he real name, she had either been angry or was making a point. It also gave Baz the advantage because he could see that she was lying to his face.

"That's bullshit and you know it. Jess's eyes are shot, her pupils are constricted and she could barely keep her head up. I know you gave her something because she wouldn't have gone digging for pills or anything else that is around here"

"How do you know? Maybe you should crawl out of her ass and let her make her own decisions. Just because you failed with Julia doesn't mean you should rub off on her"

Scoffing at her remark, Baz knew that a fight was going to explode between them but didn't think he'd be the one in the wrong. Smurf would never own up to any of her wrongdoings, that was expected. He just wanted her to admit that she pressed the drugs on Jessica.

"Look, she's down in Mexico with Pope and I have him keeping an eye on her. Jessica is going to fall back into her old ways unless one of us steps in this time around"

"Keep telling yourself that Baz. She's going to do what she wants but be my guest, try keeping her on a leash. I'd like to see how well that's going to work for you"

Staring Baz down, Smurf waited for him to walk away because he wasn't going to keep testing her. That was one thing she had control of in the family, the boys would never go against her. Baz was going to keep Jessica away from Smurf, Jessica would avoid Baz and Smurf would still be queen.


	26. South of the Boarder and Bottle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pope takes Jessica to Mexico

It had been a rare occasion that Jessica spent alone time with one of her brothers. Most of the time she had been around the entire family but this was a trip in the books. Taking a road trip with Pope was going to be anything but fun in her eyes.

Pope was known to be the most boring out of all of her brothers. Craig was all the way at the top considering all he did was snort cocaine to keep himself energized, had sex and held a party until the sun came up. If she had to put Deran in second place considering he was more of an outdoors guy. He enjoyed surfing and the beach, a topic that Jessica constantly had on her mind.

Baz was almost tied with Pope for having fun because he always had to ruin everything when something went down. She couldn't keep count on how many times he tried getting Craig to stop a party at Smurf's, Jessica always told him that he needed to live a little more. Pope on the other hand was the definition of boring as he never wanted to have any fun to begin with.

When Jessica went to pack some of her things, Baz spoke to Pope and told him what he thought was going on with her. it was clear that she had it been the same after he left and he knew that Smurf had a hand in it. That was the whole point of her getting Baz to do the errands instead of J. Pope also noticed how she behaved and took suspicions as well he just didn't share them.

He was going to keep a close eye on her because if he returned and Jessica was worse, he wasn't going to hear the end of it. Before they left the Cody home however Jessica slipped a few more pills in her mouth and tucked some away in her shorts. It was going to be difficult to take them around Pope but she was good at being sneaky especially when it came to her drug use. It had numbed her pain for her arm but it also numbed everything else in her life as well. Even though she didn't show it Jessica was internally fighting what happened.

She hadn't protected J and she had it protected Nicky from Javi and his men. Even though they both were okay it's still bothered her that she didn't do anything to help. She did do her best though and Smurf was right about her holding her ground. She had just never been in a situation like that and it shook her to her core.

Jessica lifted her head off of the car window and opened her blue-grey eyes. She had trouble sleeping all night not only due to her injuries but from what she saw that night as well. She had never seen someone murdered in front of her, especially an ex-boyfriend. Baz was supposed to be there for comfort but it didn't stop her from being scared. tossing and turning all night just got finally got her piece of sleep once the pills kicked in. Even though Jessica was as fit girl the pills still took its toll on her despite her having a tolerance as well.

Blinking her eyes a couple times she narrowed at the highway as the lights hit her straight in the face. Pope's eyes shifted to the passenger seat, he was glad that she was still alive.

"How far are we? Are we even in Mexico yet?" She asked trying to reach around the back for her bag, she wanted her sunglasses on.

"We're almost there. We have to cross the border and then we have an hour after that" Pope said after looking at the GPS. Not only was it Pope's first time in Mexico but Jessica's as well. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm a barrel of sunshine. Can all of you quit treating me like glass? I'm fine, I just don't look it" It was evident that she was lying but Pope wasn't going to push it. "We don't even speak Spanish, how are we going to do anything with the doctor?"

Baz had been the only one in the family that spoke Spanish but didn't know it by heart. Deran had taken French in high school whereas the others never took a foreign language. Everything was taken care of but Pope wasn't sure how or even by who.

"We'll figure it out. I'm sure they speak English" He answered her, keeping his eyes locked on the road. He was reaching the border and was making sure he was getting in the right lane and direction. "What is it you're on?"

Pope had reached an arm back as well in order to help her get her bag. Jessica avoided the question while slipping on her sunglasses not wanting to have this discussion. Problem was she was stuck in the car and he would keep asking until she answered. "What are you trying to accused me of?"

"I'm not blind, I've seen you like this before. What did you take?" Pope was going to get to the bottom of it in order to help her. If she needed surgery he wanted to let the doctor know that she had been on something so she didn't get worse. He actually wasn't sure what they would give her so he needed to figure out what she was doing.

"I didn't take anything besides the aspirin you gave me last night" Jessica stare down the road wanting to avoid his gaze. Part of her wanted to say something but it was the other half that refused. Even though she had been sober from every drug Craig's pills were kicking in because she hadn't had it for awhile. Another thing was is she took a handful rather than taking two. Her body was acceptable to it so taking them don't worry her even if it meant worrying everybody else.

"I've seen Julia like this and I've seen you too. High out of your mind, Moody, bright lights hurt your eyes so you need to wear sunglasses, you're defensive. What was it this time?"

Locking her jaw, Jessica knew Pope was going to press on the matter and not stop. She started wondering if as put him up to it because it seemed like something he would have done. "I don't know, took a couple of Craig's pills in order to ease my pain. I'm sorry but is this an intervention? So what I do in my spare time is not anyone's concern"

Jessica groaned while she raised her feet in order to pull them to her chest. She wrapped her free arm around them, rested her chin on her knees and stared out the side window. Pope wanted to stop the car and turn around in her for her to open her eyes. The Cody sisters were one in and the same with their drug problems. He had gone through it with Julia first so he knew the symptoms when it came to Jessica. Both had the same, closed off behavior that caused them to be moody.

"What was prison like? I'm sure you enjoyed it" She commented lowly but enough for him to hear her. Jessica didn't even know Pope had gone to prison until Deran told her about two weeks after he disappeared. She assumed he was having one of his mood swings and wasn't coming around anymore, until she learned the truth. It was a shock that he took the fall for Baz but knew that it was due to his feelings for Catherine underneath it all.

"I'm not going back there. I will never do that again" Pope replied almost too quickly before she could finish her sentence. He never opened up about what happened in prison which made the Cody family members questions what exactly went on.

Jessica's eyes trailed over to him then she looked down in her lap. He had it made eye contact with her even though she tried to read his face. She heard stories about what could happen in there which made her wonder what Pope had become a victim of. He did seem a little more angry and he was before he got in but that could have been due to a variety of issues. Her blue eyes had focused on her shorts wanting to ask the next question but was too afraid to say anything. "What happened in there?"

Pope's brown eyes were locked on the road as he refused to answer her. There was no way that he was going to tell her what happened considering he never told anybody else. Her question also arose once in him as he didn't have all the answers with what happened when Javi showed up.

"Javi didn't do anything else to you…Right? He didn't…" Pope paused trying to figure out what to say. "He didn't touch you or anything…?" His voice cut off taking a glance at her.

"What? No, nothing else happened" She told him snapping her head in his direction as they locked eyes for a split second before Pope focus back on his driving. It took Jessica to connect the dots and that was when she realized what happened to him in prison. "Did they…"

She watched as Pope tightened his jaw and his grip on the wheel got harder. It was self-explanatory by his actions that bad things went on when he was in prison, he just was going to admit it. There was no changing this conversation, so Jessica thought it was best just to keep quiet until they arrived at their destination.

As the hour went by quickly due to Pope's driving and they arrived in the city. Mexico was a whole different world for both of them as it was completely different than California. There problem now was exactly what Jessica had brought up earlier, the language barrier was a huge flaw. When they stepped out of the truck, Pope looked around the buildings hoping that he drove to the right location that Baz gave him. Since it was dark, it was hard to make out signs as well as nothing was in English.

"Where in the hell are we?" Jessica questioned once she shut the door and leaned against the black truck. She struggled moving her sunglasses because the world was much darker with them on. When she watched one of the doors open to the building that they were closest to, she squinted trying to see who it was.

"You're in Mexico, in Sonora but more specifically Santa Ana" Lucy spoke with a faint smile on her face. Neither one of them responded back so she took a deep breath. "Baz called and asked if I could help you guys out"

"Of course he did…Remind me why I came down here again?" She looked away from Lucy and towards her older brother. Lucy was the last person she wanted to see after hearing what Lena told her. She also knew that Baz was with her the night that Javi showed up at Smurf's. Jessica wasn't going to deal with whatever game Baz was trying to pull.

Lucy hadn't said a word, held the door open for them as Pope tried to convince her to step inside but Jessica wasn't having it. Pope refused to deal with her attitude, especially after driving all those hours in order to get her help. Grabbing her free arm, he yanked her faintly and started dragging her into the hallway. Lucy wasn't sure on what transpired as Baz only told her that they had a family emergency to go through. She could see how beat up Jessica was and it reminded her of the phone call from the other night.

He continued to force her up the stairs in order to see the doctor that Lucy was taking them to. Pope was relieved that Baz had a plan in mind when they were on the way there, but he wished he would have told him. Jessica nearly tripped up the stairs when her older brother pulled her harder. She eventually ripped her arm away but the stare from Pope shook her to the core so she hung her head and followed them. Lucy wasn't sure exactly what was going on or why the Cody sister had been acting the way she was. Every time she had ever seen her, she was put together but it was clear that the girl was a mess.

It had taken some time to calm her down before she saw the doctor for the broken arm. As Pope looked between his sister, Lucy and the man who he hoped was a good enough doctor, he was trying his best to figured out what was going on. The brunette had to translate everything to them even though Jessica kept her head down listening.

Luckily for her, it was nothing serious that required surgery. The doctor believed it had just been broken without any nerve damage, would heal fine but he had to double check. Jessica had to be examined for x-rays, a cast and let it heal on its own. Pope had excused himself in order to let the others know what was going on as Lucy stayed with Jessica as she got everything taken care of.

The eldest Cody went back outside to have the peace and quiet that he needed. He was glad that it wasn't anything serious that would require him keeping a closer eye on her. If Jessica had needed surgery, things would have gotten worse as she would have been supplied with morphine. It would have made her wig out more and Pope wasn't going to handle it, he didn't do it with Julia either.

Dialing Baz's number, he knew he would answer compared to the others and Smurf was not the first on his list. Hearing the tone ring a few times, Baz picked up and Pope rubbed his eyes faintly.

"Everything is fine, she just needs some x-rays done a cast" He spoke before Baz could even say anything.

It was silent on the line for a couple seconds until he spoke. "She doesn't need surgery at all? Lucy is there right? I asked her to be there when you guys showed up"

"She's here…You could have told me she was meeting us. I wouldn't have had to deal with Jessica's temper tantrum over it" Pope spoke putting his back to the driver's door and crossing one of his arms.

"If you want an apology, I'm sorry. I thought everything would be fine whether you knew or not" Baz paused for a moment. "How is she?"

"A pain in the ass" Pope responded with a serious tone to his voice. "I tried asking her what she took but she didn't answer me. She acting the same way she did before"

That sentence alone made Baz take a deep breath on the other line. "Alright, I'll see if I can figure it out. I'd ask Smurf but I'm pretty sure she'd chew my ass out if I did"

He wasn't going to tell Pope how he confronted her earlier in the day but he was going to keep it quiet. Baz had been having problems with Smurf for a while and he didn't want to involved the others until he needed to.

"Once she's done in there, I'm giving us a couple of hours before heading back"

"Thanks Pope, I don't know what would have happened if you didn't take Jess" Pope hung up on that last sentence and prepared himself for another long day of driving.

The Cody siblings had stayed in Mexico for a few more hours thanks to Lucy's hospitality. Neither one of them wanted to accept the invitation but Pope needed a little bit of rest in order to drive back to California. Jessica on the other hand was ready to leave, clearly not wanting to be around her. While Pope had to answer a phone call from Smurf that he kept ignoring, that left the two females standing outside of Lucy's apartment.

"I hope everything goes well when you get back home" Lucy was first to break the tension, turning her direction.

"Oh I'm sure you do" Jessica responded staring down at the newly applied pink cast. She picked at for a few seconds then raised her eyes towards her. "Did you jump at the chance to be with Baz once Catherine disappeared?"

The question made Lucy cross her arms in defense, responding to the accusation being thrown at her. Narrowing her eyes, she wasn't exactly sure what she was bringing up. "Excuse me?"

"You know what I'm talking about. You've been to Baz's house; you've been around Lena and I can't help but wonder why. You've always been his side chick and you jumped at the chance when you heard that his girlfriend is out of the picture. Stay away from my niece, just a little piece of advice"

Lucy's mouth had popped open while Jessica stared her down, her bruised eyes not moving. Every time she had met Jessica before, the two had exchanged words but they put their feelings aside that they felt about each other. Both Jessica and Lucy were in love with the same guy so it was clear that neither one of them would get along.

"Look Jessica, I don't know exactly why you want to pick a fight when I just helped you but go right ahead. We both love Baz, you know it's the truth but…"

Pope had returned from around the car and approached them in order to get going. Lucy stopped talking not wanting to fight with his sister, especially because Pope was unpredictable. She also didn't want anything to get back to Baz that would affect their relationship. Jessica starting walking backwards to the car, not acknowledging what she said. The eldest Cody turned his head to look between them wondering what he was missing while he was on the phone. Heading to the driver's seat, Pope was quiet on the matter without asking any questions as it was going to be a long ride home.

Once they arrived back in Oceanside and at Smurf's home, they both vowed that they would never make a trip like that again. They both hated long car rides, the silence between them and the constant nagging they did to each other. The oldest and youngest were bound to mix it up more than once, it was something that Jessica did more often than anyone else.

The home was quiet, and both were surprised that Smurf was the only one present. J and Nicky were still in school as well as Lena, Craig was helping Deran do something at the bar and Baz was no where to be found. By the time they had gotten back, it was almost noon and Pope was down for the count. He ended up disappearing, talking about some church thing which left Jessica alone by herself.

She headed off into her old bedroom and sat on the bed, staring at the tan colored wall without anything crossing her mind. The second she stepped into the house; Jessica snuck off into the bathroom in order to take a few more pills that Smurf had slipped her. Her arm was aching due to them toying around with it and she wasn't a fan of the cast. It was very itchy, and Jessica couldn't help but pick at it. She was almost in a complete daze due to the drugs kicking in and feeling nothing at all.

It was a feeling that she missed because she was used to numbing the pain with whatever she could get her hands on. No one grows out of addiction; they just learn how to deal without chemicals flowing through their bloodstream. This was one of those cases where Jessica learned to push everything back, tucked the pain back and figure out a way to heal it. Her eyelids grew heavily but she was trying her best in order to stay awake. Hearing a knock on the door, it popped open and she moved her head to see who it was.

"I thought you might be hungry, I made you a snack" Smurf said stepping in, carrying a tray with her. It was filled with a variety of different food such as fruit, a sandwich and a bowl of soup. Peering at her daughter, she placed the tray on top of the dresser, moved over to the bed and sat down next to her. "Are you okay Baby?"

Jessica hadn't answered her and continued to pick at the bright pink cast. She'd rather it be a color she liked because pink just didn't suit her. "I'm fine"

Looking at her skeptically, Smurf knew better. Brushing a chunk of hair away, she watched her daughter closely. "Do you remember when your brothers would bring their friends over and you always hid in this room? You were so shy whenever anyone came over. The first time Julia brought Baz here, you were so scared of him. You did the same thing with Craig and Deran's friends. I never understood why"

Jessica's stormy eyes shifted towards her. Smurf leaned forward to get a closer look. "Because I didn't think they'd want me hanging out with them. Baz was always with Julia and Pope, Renn and Adrian were always with the other two. I thought it would have been best to stay by myself"

It was the story of Jessica's life. As much as she was a part of the family, she was always tempted to hold a distance. She had been close to her siblings for the most of it but there was still space to fill in. Jessica always felt like she belonged in the family but didn't necessarily believe she fit it. At the same time, she was at constant odds with Smurf.

"Why did you have Javi killed?" Jessica blurted out, finally looking at her Mother.

Keeping her face straight, Smurf responded, "He hurt you, he hurt Nicky and J. I wasn't going to let that go. Javi was a monster, responsible for everything that has gone on recently. Would you want him to still be alive after what he did?"

"He didn't deserve to die, all he wanted was the money. Javi wouldn't have come around here anymore since he got what he came here for. He didn't want to hurt me, it was because of you and because of Baz. Whatever you two decided ended up falling back on me"

"How many times do you want me to apologize? I already lost Julia and I wasn't about to lose you. If your Brothers would have been here instead of running away, things would have turned out differently" Smurf was trying to avoid a confrontation because she could see something brewing in Jessica's eyes.

"Well if you wouldn't have sent us on a job that had no money attached, they would have shown. Pope was taking care of Lena as always, Deran has the bar now, Craig was off doing whatever he does and Baz was with Lucy…" After her last sentence, Jessica shut her mouth and looked away. She went back to staring at the cast once more.

Smurf listened to her and saw her quick shift in movement. The way she spoke about Baz half of the time gave everything away, her feelings were laid out on the table. It also gave her an advantage as to what was going on. Watching her closely, Smurf reached out and grabbed her hand so she would stop picking at it. Pointing down to the floor, she smirked lightly knowing that Jessica would remember what she used to do when she was little. Snorting out a laugh, Jessica followed her lead and crawled onto the ground.

Smurf grabbed sections of her hair once she sat down and got comfortable. Jessica always wore her hair in braids when she under the age of ten and Smurf was the one who taught her how to do it. It was the only thing they had close to bonding time.

"How about you stay here another night? I'll make sure no one steps in this house if they are not family. What do you say?"

Jessica was ready to go home as she hadn't been in her apartment for days. However, it was nice feeling like the center of attention for once, whether it was good or bad. Nodding lightly, the Cody Matriarch was glad that she agreed to her terms. Once she was finished doing a simple braid, she kissed her on the top of her head.

"You get some rest okay? I'll get started on dinner"

Helping her daughter up from off the floor, Jessica climbed back onto the bed. She curled up, her head resting on the cast as she watched out the window. Smurf threw a blanket over her, smiled at her and began making her way towards the door. Smurf nearly ran into Baz as he turned the corner to step into the room.

Shutting the door quietly, Smurf stood in front of it. "She's taking a nap right now, why don't you go help Lena with her homework? Something you haven't done in awhile"

Brushing past him without another word, Baz glared at her before turning his attention back to the bedroom door. Opening it lightly, he peered into the room and saw Jessica lying there. Walking over to the edge of the bed, Jessica opened her eyes in order to see who it was.

"Hey…How are you feeling?" He asked lowly, hoping that Smurf wouldn't come back.

She lifted her head slightly to show the cast. "I had an interesting trip if that's what you want to know. Can you all quit asking me how I'm doing?"

Baz had a feeling that she was going to be mad that Lucy helped her out but he didn't care. Someone had to be there, and she was someone he could count. The second sentence caught him off guard. "I came to see if you needed anything"

Shaking her head gently, Jessica kept her eyes on him. She knew Baz wasn't going to leave because he had been a thorn in her side lately. At the same time, she couldn't get away with what she wanted if he were there.

"I'm fine, another phrase I'm constantly saying. I'm going to bed so if you wouldn't mind. I'll see you at dinner"

Blinking in surprise, Baz had no idea what was even going on. Two nights ago Jessica ad wanted him to stay with her and all of sudden things had changed. He knew exactly why that was, there was only one person to blame.

Agreeing to her wishes, he moved away from her but stopped once he reached the dresser. Behind the tray of food that Smurf left, he saw the orange pill bottle. Snatching it up in order to see what it was, it was clear that Jessica had drained most of the medication already. Taking it away from her was something that he needed to do.

"Why was Smurf in here?" Baz questioned glancing back at her.

"The hell if I know. I'm staying the night again, so you don't have to worry about taking me home. Probably to come take care of me" Jessica paused, turned her head sideways to see him. "Close the door on your way out"

Sighing loudly, he was in disbelief at what was going on. "Oh, I'm sure she was…Stay away from Smurf, okay?"

"And what if I don't? What are you going to do about it Baz?" She asked back defensibly.

He watched her roll back over onto her side so that she didn't have to face him anymore. Shaking his head in annoyance, he tucked the bottle in his jacket pocket. "I'll do whatever it takes"

"Good luck…Don't forget to close the door"

Locking his jaw shut, Baz now took it upon himself to officially leave. Closing the door like she asked, he wanted to confront Smurf once again but knew that it wasn't going to go anywhere. She would use her defensive skills as always, remind him how she's always taken care of him and she had nothing to do with Jessica's attitude. For now, Baz had to keep quiet on the matter while watching the dynamic change in the household. Smurf had her hold on Jessica like she had her hold on everyone else. Everyone was just a pawn in her game and she was currently winning.


	27. Call me when you're Sober

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baz tries to help Jessica with her addiction

Staying at Smurf's didn't seem like a bad decision to Jessica and she hadn't been complaining. She ended up there often despite the fact that she went back home after a day or two. Things seemed like they were normal for the most part, things looked like they did in the past. Everyone had been getting along, coming by the house more often and Smurf was back in charge of things.

Jessica couldn't complain, things were normal and that was something she needed…Except for the fact that she wasn't. Even though Baz had been trying to keep her out of trouble, he was slipping because the blonde was hard to grasp. Her sobriety was gone and she was back in her old ways which were not good for anyone. She had an attitude with everyone, she refused to go back to work and was relying on medication to keep her numb. Her excuses changed constantly, ranging from her arm hurting, a headache or not being able to sleep. When addiction took a hold of Jessica, she would change into a completely different person as most addicts did. Jessica Cody was a former shell of herself once more.

Even though things were normal so to speak, the Cody household was going back into its old ways. Deran was still spending a lot of his time at the bar but was still hanging out at the house. It was much to Smurf's delight that her youngest was around because he was just like Jessica, always running away whenever a problem arose.

He had come around more not only because things had settled down but because Craig was now living at home. After Nicky had to call the fire department because Craig's apartment on fire, he had no where else to live. Neither Baz or Pope offered, Deran lived above his work and Jessica only had a one bedroom apartment. He had no choice but to move back in with Smurf but he wasn't complaining.

Pope was still taking Lena with him to church after she told everyone how they hung around a nice lady from there. He was still keeping Amy in the dark with his family even though they met her before the big heist. No one knew he was seeing her until Lena told Baz about it. He was still acting in his usual demeanor which meant keeping secrets and struggling with whatever problems he was having.

Baz was still the same as well but more on top of Jessica than usual. That was the thing about him however, he always wanted and needed control of a situation. If things didn't fall into his lap, he would find a way to make them no matter what. Despite him trying to have control on her actions, Jessica knew how to push him away and hide things.

It was to Jessica's displeasure, but she was as sly as a cat when she wanted to be. It was a family trait that the Cody's could get away with anything as long as they kept it under wraps. The only problem is Smurf as she could always find out about everything that went on under her roof.

In true fashion, Craig was ready to throw a party since the Javi incident is over and done with. Smurf had actually insisted that they celebrate and Craig wasn't one to pass up throwing one of his famous parties. It always involved numerous people either they knew or not, good supply of drugs and unlimited alcohol. The parties at Smurf's home were notorious and since she was the one who wanted to celebrate, it was going to be one that would be talked about for weeks.

The long-haired Cody agreed the second she put money on the counter for him, Craig was never one to pass up money or a party. Deran was supposed to stop by once he got enough bartenders to cover for him, Pope was somewhere hiding because he clearly wasn't a party person. The eldest had turned down Craig's invitation since he didn't have nothing to do as Lena was over at a friend's house. He tucked himself away in a bedroom and made sure that no one was going to disturb him. Smurf didn't want Craig to tell Baz anything about it because she didn't want him ruining the fun.

Baz had gone to Jessica's apartment in order to see if she needed anything. He hadn't gone there for a couple of days because she ended up locking the door so he couldn't get in. He felt like he had been the only one keeping his eyes on her as his brothers seemed to look the other as always. The problem he was having was that Jessica didn't want to be watched so she knew how to get around him.

He knocked a couple of times knowing that she wasn't going to answer but it was worth a shot. The Cody sister had constantly kept her door locked even when she was home so that none of them would just walk in. Jessica valued privacy to the fullest so she wasn't going to let anyone intrude. Baz had to make up his mind if she just wasn't answering or if she was home. The lights weren't on which was an indication she wasn't there but looks could be deceiving.

Taking it upon himself to drive over to Smurf's, Baz questioned if she was hanging out over there or if any of them had seen her. The whole idea of keeping the party under wraps was about to fall through because after he saw all the cars up and down the street, Baz knew exactly what was going on.

Once he figured out a place to park, he made his way into Smurf's home and looked at everyone who passed. He knew that Jessica was there and it wasn't going to be a good night at all. All the drugs that were passed around would eventually make its way to her. She had already supplied herself with various pills and right as Baz figured out what one was, she'd discover another one.

Jessica Cody was lounging by the pool with her feet in the water. She wanted to jump in, surround herself with the water splashing around her as everyone was gathered in it. Her bright pink cast could get drenched in water so she had to settle for dipping her toes in and watching everyone enjoy themselves. She ruffled her wavy hair, something she did often out of habit then slowly turned her attention towards the patio door.

Baz saw her sitting there and made his way in her direction. For the moment he was relieved that he found her so easy because he assumed, she was going to be hiding somewhere in the house. From what he could tell, Smurf or Craig were no where in the picture. The second she spotted Baz; Jessica knew her fun was over plus she was not prepared to see him.

"Where's Craig? Have you been drinking?" Baz questioned once he reached her. He was waiting for her to look up at him so he would have the answer if she didn't tell him.

"No…But I accidently took some ecstasy though" Jessica responded lifting her head with a faint smile creeping on her lips. Her pupils again were bloodshot but at least he knew from what.

"You accidentally did? No one accidently takes ecstasy…" He trailed off before whipping around in a circle. He was looking for Craig because he was responsible for the party in the first place. He was probably off with a girl who wasn't Nicky so Baz wasn't in the mood to hunt him down.

Jessica stared at him for a moment then turned her attention back to her feet in the water. She was having fun actually, not having a care in the word was something that she needed for a while. Her main reason for doing drugs in the first place was to cope with her surroundings and this was a time that she felt like she needed it.

Baz closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He was trying to figure out what his next move was. He put his attention back on her before bending down at her side. Resting his forearms on his knees, Baz leaned forward in order to see her again. "Did you take anything else? Anything at all?"

"No…" Jessica answered but they both knew that she was lying. She was afraid to look at him but knew that his blue eyes were locked on her as if she were a target. "I took some pills that I found out in the garage…Like a line and a half of coke and I had like five shots"

Baz blinked hard after hearing her respond. "That's enough to overdose Jessica, what are you doing?" He was starting to get furious after hearing all of that.

"I'm trying to have fun and you're really starting to kill it so can you not ask me anything else?" She asked delicately before turning to him. "I have an idea, why don't we go wake up Pope and…" Jessica stopped talking when she noticed Baz's face, he was clearly not amused. "You're not cute when you pout"

Everyone in the Cody household was use to drug abuse but for Baz to see Jessica like this again was really pushing it. It wasn't hard to remember how bad one could get dealing with substance abuse as there had always been a root to the issue. Even though she never shared it out loud, Jessica had issues just like all the others in the family and it always took a toll on her. He wasn't going to let things get worse because they were already on their way.

"Come on, let's get you a jacket and I'll drive you home" He placed a hand on her shoulder, he noticed her shiver.

"Oh don't start this again please. I just want to have fun for once without you hovering over me. Look, I'm fine, I really am" Jessica reached over and placed her right hand on his that was resting on her shoulder. "Besides, I got dressed up so let me have my moment" Her eyes trailed down to her outfit then back at him. She was dressed in a simple black tee with overall shorts on top.

Baz shook his head no, knowing that he couldn't leave her at Smurf's in order for her to get into whatever she could find. Maybe he was being too protective over her but he just wanted to look out for her. He did that when they were kids, he did it when they grew older and he was doing it for the rest of his life. The big brother role stepped in but it was more than that, Baz wanted to be with her in the end.

"I'm not leaving you here because I know what will happen. I get it, the whole thing with Javi screwed you up but I'm just trying to help you"

"Just stop Baz, I don't want to hear it" Ripping her hand from his, she pulled her legs out of the water and got up. Jessica started storming away without a glance back over her shoulder. She moved her way through the crowd of people wanting to get far away from him.

"Jess!" Baz called out to her before standing back up. He huffed loudly, moved his way past people in order to catch up to her and stepped around them to stop in front of her. "Will you stop for two seconds and listen to me"

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Baz stand near the patio door. A few partygoers looked their direction before going back to what they were doing in the first place. "I'm not a child anymore, you can't just stop me whenever I want to do something. You've done this to me all my life, all of you have. I'm not your little sister anymore" Jessica took a deep breath and locked her jaw.

"Someone has to look out for you and I'm the only one doing it" He told her knowing that this conversation wasn't going to be pretty. "You're not a bad person Jessica, you're just trying to numb yourself of your problems"

"I'm sorry but who said I was a bad person? We all are Baz, every single one of us. Craig snorts line upon line and doesn't catch hell for it but I do? Julia couldn't even stay sober for her kid, Pope is always off his meds doing God knows what, Deran will never, ever quit running to Smurf when she needs him. And you? You can't just settle with one woman so you cheat on everyone you're with. Don't come at me when everyone else here has problems because I sure as hell am not the only one so get out of my way"

Baz narrowed his eyes at her, leaned towards the doorway blocking anyone from coming through. He was trying to prove to Jessica that all of this was happening because of her being held hostage by Javi. She wouldn't have gone to this degree because she had told everyone how she was glad to be sober yet again. Someone needed to look over her and Baz felt like he was the one.

"I'm not saying that Jess, all I mean you are better than this and you know it. This isn't you, you don't like the person you turn into and neither do I. You're fucking your life up like this"

"You liked me last time I screwed up, didn't you? You had no problem dragging me into the bedroom while you and Cath were on a break. You know why? Because I'm such a fuckup and that's exactly what you like. You weren't in love with Cath because she was perfect, Lucy's been your side chick for years and me? You want someone who is as fucked up as you are and that's the truth"

"When did this turn around on me?" Baz questioned back knowing that she was trying to take the blame off herself. "This isn't about me; this is about you going off the deep end again. What's going to happen this time? You're going to run away like you always do and show back up years later, you're going overdose for the hundredth time and no one is going to be there to take care of you"

"You weren't so what's the difference now?" Jessica fired back knowing that her statement was the truth as well. There had been a couple times that one of her brothers helped her out but she was on her own after that. There was a time that Baz had helped her when she was overdosing and that's what the conversation reminded her of. She believed that he was trying to get back on her high horse in order to prove he was right. "Now get out of my way and leave me alone"

"I already said that I'm not leaving you by yourself so can get high on something else. Either I'm taking you home, your coming home with me or I stay here with you" It was now Baz's turn to put his foot down. As he was already blocking the patio door, he placed his hand out and rested it on the doorway.

"God, why do you have to be so dramatic!" Jessica yelled which made people yet again stop and stare. This time however she had enough and wasn't going to be dictated around. Her number one problem was him trying to tell her what to do, she had been fed up with it for the last few days but didn't care to argue. Instead Jessica kept blowing him off without any reason. Stepping closer to him, Jessica stopped directly in front of him, her eyes fixated on him. She was done playing around, done fighting and more importantly, done with him.

"Do you really think I'm going to move just because you want me to?"

"Why are you acting like this? I've done nothing to you" She countered, her stormy eyes trailing from his face over to his arm. "You know what, I'm not going to stand here and look like an idiot"

"I think you've done a good enough job already"

Clamping her mouth shut, Jessica pushed herself forward and shoved his arm out of the way with all the strength she could. It was hard due to the fact that her right arm had a cast on it so she couldn't bend it at all. Baz was caught off guard and didn't have time to react so his arm flew off the doorway with ease. The blonde shoved her shoulder into his as she rushed past him and Baz nearly knocked into the person behind him.

Jessica shook her head hard already planning her escape. She wanted away from Baz fast and the only option she had was locking herself in a room where he couldn't get in. Maneuvering through the crowd of people, she took a glance at J and Nicky who were sitting in the living room.

J noticed her demeanor and looked behind her in order to see what was going on. Nicky took a glance as well before setting her eyes on the white drug in front of her. He was curious as to what was going on as he was trying to keep Nicky out of trouble. The moment he saw Baz behind her, J knew it had something to do with her spiraling out of control. He stood up slowly due to his leg then turned his attention to Baz.

"Hey…what's going on?" He questioned once Baz passed him.

"It's nothing involving you so don't worry about it" He told him taking a glance over his shoulder.

J peered after Jessica again realizing then something was going on between the two of them. Everyone in the house knew that they were not getting along it was only a matter of time for something to happen. He was honestly concerned because he remembered how it was for his Mom, the way she had outbursts when she didn't have enough drugs in her system. J noticed the way she was acting lately and it made him remember the past.

"Baz…Let her cool out for a while, her being angry isn't going to solve anything" J said remembering all the times he let Julia breathe for a while.

"I said this doesn't involve you so stay out of it" Baz responded still making his way through the party guests, ignoring J and trying to keep his eyes on Jessica.

J blinked in her surprise, just wanting to help the situation. He had no idea what the issue Baz had with him because he had done nothing wrong. Nicky pulled at J's hand to sit him back down but he swatted it away. Even though he wasn't close to either of his family members didn't mean he wasn't curious and concerned at what was going on. By the time he went to speak again, Baz was gone from his sight.

Jessica made her way to her room in order to grab the things she brought. She tried slamming the door behind her but Baz was right there in order to prevent her from doing so. She walked towards the right side of the bed where the window was with him standing across from her. It was clear that Jessica was strung out due to her behavior as she hadn't acted that erratic until that night. It was the mixture of drugs flowing through her veins and on top of it the alcohol.

"You know what? I regret ever hooking up with you. I was just a sixteen-year-old girl who didn't know better. I wouldn't have been in the predicament I was in and I sure as hell wouldn't be in it now" Jessica spoke out of the blue while ripping her jacket off the bed. She looked him dead in the face, Baz wasn't expecting that at all.

"You really think that? You honestly think that you and I would have never got together?"

"Yeah because you know nothing that happened back then. You know I got kicked out of my own house, had nowhere to go, was forced to stay with a friend because my own family didn't take care of me. You still don't know, do you?" She questioned knowing the answer already because she had been the only one.

"Know what? Now what are you talking about?" Baz asked her, not even having a clue of what she was mentioning. He knew all about Jessica's past just like everyone else in the family. He didn't think it still bothered her compared to back in the day but he couldn't understand where she was coming from. Even though Baz didn't admit it, he did feel guilty for what happened to Julia and Jessica.

For a moment, she bit her lip in order to stop herself from saying anything. Jessica had a deep, dark secret that she was keeping buried and no one knew the truth. "You wouldn't care so it's nothing now. Just stay out of my way, okay?"

Even though Jessica could feel her emotions rising to the surface, she was trying her best to tuck them away. Baz could see tears filling the brim of her eyes which now made him question exactly what she was talking about. All of a sudden her emotions shifted, just like before but this time it seemed more serious.

"What's going on Jessica?" Baz asked her, feeling like the two of them had just been asking questions back and forth to each other.

She held the jean jacket tight in her left hand, scrunched in a ball and not removing her eyes from him. The second Jessica blinked, a few tears slipped out and she quickly wiped them away with the outside of her cast. Her mascara ran lightly and Baz could tell more than one thing had been bothering her.

Moving away from the bed, Jessica moved past Baz as quick as she could. There were a few secrets ready to spill from her lips and it wasn't the time to be sharing them. It was a private conversation that Jessica wasn't willing to have, especially not at a party full of people. Slipping past him and into the hallway, she felt that she could breathe again and looked for a way to escape. People flooded Smurf's and she was hoping that she could blend in with the crown. In all honesty she didn't want to leave but it was Baz making her feel like she had to go.

Looking over her shoulder while trying to get past a couple making out against the way, she saw him standing in the doorway, Jessica couldn't believe that he was still following her. Jessica was trapped because she knew that she wasn't in the best state of mind to drive and she wouldn't walk home as her apartment was blocks away. On top of it, Baz would have trailed behind her and she wasn't getting in his car with him. As she made her way down the hall, Jessica suddenly felt sick and had to get to the bathroom fast. Glancing around the house, she rushed faster towards the living room, through the pile of people that gathered there and to the closest bathroom she could get to. She had her hand covering her mouth just in case and didn't think she'd make it in time.

Running inside, Jessica slammed the door shut and flipped the lock so that no one could get inside. Rushing towards the toilet, she threw her head towards the bowl and felt everything she drank and ate rise in her throat. It was bringing her to flashbacks that she didn't want to have but was forced to relive due to her actions. After what felt like forever, Jessica leaned back against the bathtub trying to catch her breath.

Baz didn't follow her knowing that it would have been pointless. Jessica was pushing him away as much as she could, with Baz not knowing what to do. The only thing he thought of was help from one of their siblings. Craig did enough damage already, Deran wasn't present and he wasn't sure if Pope was at the party or not. Backing away from the hallway, Baz turned around past party goers and took strides to Pope's old room. He would often hide in there if a party was going on and was Baz's only hope.

Going straight to Pope's door, he turned the knob to see if it were locked or not. The handle hardly moved which meant someone was inside and Baz knew it would be Pope. Pounding his fist on the door, he shouted over all the talking, "Open up Pope, I need your help with something!"

A few seconds had passed and Baz waited to see if he was going to answer. The lock flipped, the door opened and Pope stood there in with his arms to his sides. "What do you want?"

"I need you to help me with Jess. She's been taking different drugs and acting up like last time. She won't listen to me"

Silence had filled the air as they looked at one another. The music blared, people were talking all over yet the two brothers didn't have much to say to each other.

"Look, you know I've always looked out for everyone. I don't want her to do something stupid. Just help me convince her to have one of us take her home, it's all I ask"

Pope thought over Baz's pleading and agreed to help him. He had already gotten on Jessica's case when they were going to Mexico and nothing helped then. No addict was going to listen to someone preventing them from using drugs. Baz at least would have help trying to get her home, maybe she would listen to Pope more than him. He didn't saw a word as he stepped out of the bedroom, Baz closed the door and followed behind him.

"She locked herself in the bathroom. I don't know if she came out or not" Baz commented loudly.

"You know she's supposed to be your sister, right?" Pope answered back.

He hadn't answered him knowing that he was trying to bring up the same thing that happened with Julia. Pope had always been the one making comparisons out of all of the Cody brothers. In reality Jessica was the only person who could save herself despite Baz trying to do it. For the next couple of seconds, they hadn't said a word to each other until they reached the bathroom.

"I already tried opening it but she locked it" He told him as Pope glanced at him then to the bathroom door. He took a deep breath and went to reach the doorknob until it whipped open.

Jessica stood still, staring at them as she didn't expect Baz let alone Pope to be there. She thought he had left her alone and she was going to make a break for it. She pushed between them, shoved people out of the way and bolted for the front door. The brothers noticed a pill bottle open on the counter with pills scattered near the sink. It was now apparent that she had taken more drugs while she was in there and Baz added that to the list of other things she had taken. They quickly turned away and followed her, Baz moving around everyone in order to get to the front door before she did.

"It's bad enough you had to drag my brother into this but now you want to block the door so I can't leave?" Jessica asked the second she reached the door. Baz stood in front of it as he ignored randoms trying to get in. Pope stood behind her in order to watch what was going to unfold.

"I told you I'd take you home, you aren't capable of driving so you can quit trying to bail" He told her as Jessica rolled her eyes and turned towards Pope.

"And what are you going to do? Throw me over your shoulder and lock me in the bathroom like you used to do to Julia? If either one of you touch me it will be the last thing you do"

"Baz asked me to help you so here I am" Pope uttered in his monotone voice. His dark eyes were focused on her despite her warning. It didn't phase either brother and neither one of them moved. "And if I have to lock your ass in the bathroom I will"

Jessica scoffed out a laugh at his remark before shaking her head heavily. She tossed her jacket onto the ground and threw her hands up as if she were surrendering to police. "Fine but I have a question for both of you…The night that Javi showed up where were you then? None of you cared to show up and what happened huh? I got kidnapped, my goddamn arm broken and a black and blue face. Where you any of you then?"

Pope and Baz exchanged looks before Baz spoke, "We were doing everything we could to get you back here"

"No, you weren't, I wouldn't have been missing for a whole day if that were the case. If you would have just showed up for Smurf, I wouldn't have gotten the short end of the stick like always. You guys act like you have my back when really none of you give two shits about me. None of you ever think about me, none of you have ever cared to. I'm so over this family"

Pope had crossed his arms relating to what she was saying. He often felt that way about any of them because he felt like he was on his own in the family. Pope was different in his own way, but everyone had always called him crazy for it. Despite the Cody family being close, they were also far apart as each member was different. They all had their own goals, their own lives and their own wants.

"You know that isn't true Jessica, we were doing everything we could to talk Smurf into giving Javi the money" Baz told her the second she went to walk away from them.

"That's bullshit Baz, you guys did the church job. Where is all that money? Huh? Do I have to give you my cut in order to pay her back because every single one of you had money. Why in the hell were you not giving up your money to get me back? God forbid any of you give up your job money"

"You sound exactly like Smurf now" Pope commented remembering how she always yelled at them in the same tone and in the same words.

Jessica's eyes widen at his remark, feeling her blood boil. "Don't you ever, ever say that I'm like our mother because I'm nothing like her. If I ever am, shoot me in the head and put me out of my misery"

She didn't have anything else to say to either one of them and wanted to make a break for the back door. In her head, she was trying to plot the whole escape to make it outside. That way she wasn't trapped inside and had a better chance of getting way.

It was apparent that Jessica was acting out because she voiced her opinion before but not in her tone she was using. She was angry at them; she was hurt and certainly knew that her emotions were going to spill the second she got high. Even though Baz already dealt with her it was Pope's turn to see how she was acting and how much of a struggle it was going to be. Both brothers weren't going to deal with her mood swings and were going to do anything to put an end to it.

What bothered them for the most part was how many times they've been through this in the past. It wasn't just Jessica that they had to deal with, it was Julia as well. Craig was his own set of problems and the Cody sisters had it way worse than he did. It didn't help that both loved the women either and that they would do anything to protect them.

The three of them stood in silence for a moment because it seemed that no one knew what to say to each other. It was almost if Jessica wanted them to say something, to stop her from doing something stupid because she was on the verge of doing it. Her blue eyes flickered between them until she needed to move forward. She walked past Pope thinking they were going to follow her. Spinning around, she faced the brothers and spoke,

"You know what, why don't you go fuck your side chick some more and you?" Jessica whipped around to see Pope in order to ignore Baz's angry expression. "Why don't you go back to Amy's and see if she'll fuck you, but we all know she won't because she will see you for who you really are"

Continuing on her way, Jessica didn't look over her shoulder because she didn't want to see either of their faces. It wasn't the first time that she called Baz out for sleeping with someone else other than her, especially while dating her but for Pope it was different. He had been looking out for her since she had gotten back and Jessica appreciated all the help she could get. Things were different now, she went back into her old way, her drug habit kicking back into full force.

It was now Baz's turn to give Pope a look to show him that he had already been dealing with her attitude. Her sentence was a surprise because he didn't know how told Jessica that he was with Lucy the night everything happened. Either Lucy had said something in Mexico or one of the boys told her. It would explain part of her resentment to him but her Pope it was a completely different situation. Hearing her words didn't make him flinch like she expected, he just got furious. He wasn't going to let someone talk about him to his face about Amy to begin with because no one knew how their relationship was. This also brought out old feelings that he had towards Julia. It made him angry that his twin sister would hurt herself the way she did and Pope could see Jessica destroying herself as well.

Shifting his eyes to the floor in silence, Pope was going to take action. Ripping himself away from the scene, Baz watched before pushing past some people in order to catch up to him. "Pope, what are you doing? Pope! What are you going to do?" He yelled to him not knowing what he was about to do.

Pope had his dark eyes locked on Jessica as she was walking to the kitchen in order to slip out of the back doors. He caught up to her before she could even grab the door handle, placed a hand on her shoulder in order for her to face him and picked the blonde up. He threw Jessica over his shoulder, turned around and darted for the living room.

"What the hell? Pope let me down! Put me down!" Jessica screamed at the top of her lungs, hit her fist on his back as well as her cast. Pain radiated up her arm despite the cast protecting it so she stopped and started wiggling to get free. Pope turned his head before she kicked him in the face, made his grip tighter and held her legs down with his free arm.

Baz nearly crashed into him after hearing all the commotion and moved off to the side as Pope looked like he was on a war path. People at the party stopped what they were doing and began watch all the drama in front of them. He didn't understand what Pope was doing so he quickly followed behind him, watching Jessica fight him in order to get free. Everyone cleared out of the as he walked towards J's bedroom, formerly Deran's and kicked the door open. J had been lying on his bed and nearly jumped out of his skin when his three family members appeared.

"What's going on? Is she okay?" J asked, trying to jump up from the bed the best he could with his injured leg. He wasn't sure if Baz answered him as Jessica was still fighting like her life depended on it. Pope went to the bathroom, put his head down and threw her onto the ground, not caring if she hurt herself or not.

The second Jessica hit the hard floor, she hit her lower back on the cabinet which stopped her for a moment. Her eldest brother stormed out of the bathroom and back into the hallway. "Watch her!" He shouted which left Baz and J to exchange looks.

Baz took his responsibility to watch her, still unsure of what Pope was trying to do. Jessica looked up him with a twisted expression, a face he had never seen her make. "I hate you…get out of my way!" She screamed before jumping up and ready to take a swing at him. Baz ducked quickly, missing her neon pink cast almost collide with his face.

Pope now stormed into Craig's room, not caring that he was in the middle of having sex with some random girl that he picked up at the party. He had the same reaction as J, as well as the girl who covered herself and yelled the second he came in.

"What the hell man? The door was shut!" Craig shouted as the girl put her dress on and ran out of the room. "Seriously, what is your problem?" He asked grabbing his shorts and putting them on before getting out of the bed.

He saw Baz holding Jessica back, trying to keep her in the bathroom even though she was protesting. "Throw her in the God damn bathroom and shut the door!" Pope slammed the door shut and looked around Craig's room. Spotting his surfboard in the corner, he raced over for it and pressed it underneath the door handle to prevent it from being opened.

The second she heard his words; she stopped fighting Baz and ran to the opposite door. Pope picked the bathroom with two doors because then this way he could stand watch with Baz in tow. While she was distracted, Baz told J to grab him a chair as he closed the door. J moved as quick as he could and grabbed the chair to his desk. Handing it to him, Baz pushed it underneath the door. He leaned against it, keeping his head on the door before taking a deep breath.

"Don't do this to me! Why are you doing this?" She called out, pounding her fists on the other door.

Baz turned his head when he saw Pope enter the room. His expression was blank as he walked over to him. "When we were kids, I promised you I'd beat up anyone who hurts you and you hurt yourself the most so I'm doing what I have to" He reminded her as he listened to her footsteps go to their side.

"Let me out of here and I'll sober up! Please don't lock me in here!" Jessica sobbed, tucking on the handle hoping that it would budge.

J stood in silence, wide eyed at what was going on. He was used to seeing Julia high from drugs but he never saw anyone ever to this to his Mother. The way Baz and Pope were handling the situation wasn't right in his eyes but he didn't know how bad Jessica was compared to his mom. He looked between his uncles as they looked at him before Pope left the room once again.

Baz covered his eyes then rubbed them knowing it was going to be a long night. He was trying to silence out Jessica's pleading and moved away from the door. "Call me if anything happens, just keep your eye on the door. I'll be back" He told J as he disappeared as well.

As Jessica slid down the bathroom door, she placed her head on it as she wiped her tears away. She didn't want to feel like a caged animal and that is was exactly what she felt like. All she was trying to do was live her life and not letting someone control it like they did in the past. Her eyes scanned the room in order to figure out her situation.

Even though Pope and Baz thought they had the upper hand on the problem, Jessica was glad that she was in the bathroom she was in. When she was younger, she spent a lot of time hanging out with Deran in his room as Craig was always show up through the bathroom from his room. Their rooms were connected by the bathroom as she used to sneak out constantly. As she got older and lived back at home as an addict, she had an escape plan she used to do so no one could catch her.

Standing up from the ground, Jessica hopped into the shower and clawed at the large window trying to see if there was a way to break it. She couldn't use anything to break it and she knew that both Pope and Baz were at J's door. Staring at the door to Craig's room, she was determined to get out and would do anything possible. Hoping back out, Jessica braced herself for what she was about to do. Lining up with the opposite door, Jessica ran as fast as she could and launched herself into the door.

It busted open and Jessica tumbled onto the ground, tripping over the surfboard in the process. Craig had been sitting on his bed and jumped up to help her when saw her, not aware of what was going on. "You've got to get me out of here, open those doors" She said out of breath, pointing over to the patio. He didn't like what they were doing and he did exactly as she asked. Jessica didn't say another word to him. She glanced around the back yard before taking off into the night without looking back.

After heard the loud thud that scared J yet again, he limped outside of his room to see Baz talking to Pope in the hallway. "She's doing something in there, I heard a crash"

The music was still blaring so the other two wouldn't have heard it from out there. They looked at one another before going into J's bedroom and to the bathroom door. Baz pulled the chair away from underneath the handle and Pope opened the door. All three walked in the bathroom and saw the busted door so they headed for Craig's room.

"Where is she at?" Baz asked him as Craig played it cool. He noticed the doors open to the back and he walked forward to look around. Jessica wasn't out there, and Baz whipped around to see him.

"I don't know, I just came back in here. What were you guys doing?" He asked hoping that he didn't have guilt written all over his face. They all had their attention on the doors as silence filled the air once again.


	28. About that Pool Party...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One month after Javi, the Cody family picks up the pieces

1 MONTH LATER…

Even though the last party ended in disaster, Smurf decided it was time to throw another one. She wanted her family to come together once again despite their differences. The toll Javi did on the family affected all of them in different ways. Even though the family remained close, all of them had differences with each other.

All the boys were mad at Baz for giving up the church money. They understood that it was to get Jessica back, but they all knew that Smurf had her own money to give up. On top of it, he kept it under wraps until it came time hand out the rest of it. When they all met up at Deran's bar when J's leg was ripped open, it was a small amount to hold them over until they laundered the rest of it. Baz thought he was going to get the money from Smurf before they found out, but things didn't end in his favor.

The yacht was still a go for most of them, but the wedding got pushed back so they were waiting to strike it. None of them were sure if Baz was even going to do it and still would try recruiting Jessica even though she said she wouldn't do it.

It had been a month since Jessica had been around the family and she once again made a fool of herself. When she was hooked on drugs, she behavior would become erratic and none of them wanted to deal with it. She didn't blame them though; she wouldn't want to deal with herself either. Smurf reached out to her which had taken Jessica by surprise because she never did that. Maybe she did with the other boys but never with her. Jessica of course hesitated but was curious to know what she wanted. She mentioned something about Javi to her on the phone which made her heart drop. It was still something she was trying to get over but watching an ex get shot in front of her really changed her view.

Jessica was lucky to keep in touch with someone she knew from rehab and reached out to him when she hit rock bottom again. He helped her get back on her feet while she asked for a release from her job as a nurse. She wanted to focus on getting better and staying sober again than making sure she wasn't late to help file papers. While her sobriety in tack for the time being, Jessica was cautious going back home. Smurf didn't state who was going to be there, but she figured everyone would show up. At the same time, she didn't expect to walk into a large party like last time.

If the Cody Matriarch was going to talk about jobs, Javi or money, Jessica assumed it meant in the family, in a tight knit group. Instead the blonde had to park her famous sky-blue Jeep Wrangler down the street from the house because she couldn't get into the driveway. It wasn't good for her to be back around the party scene so soon, but she was dying to know what Smurf wanted.

She didn't believe that she was hosting a pool party considering they had something important to talk about but here she was. Jessica felt that she had just been another party guest as she walked down the driveway to the garage. There was something in her mind telling her to turn around rather than get wrapped into the fold, but she wouldn't keep her feet from stopping in place. She at least blended in with everyone else and got the glow back that she used to have. Jessica wore white and pink stripped short sleeve button down shirt that she twisted into a knot at her stomach. It showed off her body perfectly with the hint of her white bikini top underneath. Matching it with light blue jean shorts, she would have worn bathing suit bottoms if she would have known it was a pool party. Her hair was down in perfect beach waves and she looked like her old self once more.

She wasn't sure where anyone would have been besides Pope would more than likely was hiding in a bedroom again. Even though everyone would look at her differently when she appeared, the person she didn't want to see most was Baz. Jessica hadn't talked to him since the huge fight and she remembered everything that happened. Even when she took Lena to the dance, she dropped her off at his house and left quickly once she got inside. Things changed instantly the moment she got wrapped into drugs again and it was embarrassing for her to deal with.

It was almost like Déjà vu as she cut through the living room due to all that happened a month ago. Jessica wasn't sure if she was ready to face anyone because she knew they would all look at her differently, or so she thought. When she made it into the kitchen, none of her brothers were anywhere to be seen and she wasn't about to hunt any of them down. If they didn't catch her before Smurf rallied them into a group, she'd handle it at that time. Excusing herself past a couple making out in the kitchen who she's sure she went to high school with, Jessica stepped out of the glass door and onto the patio. The music was blaring like always, people were scattered throughout the pool and yard. Red cups were all over the place along with pizza and various snacks and there were drugs floating around somewhere.

Holding her breath, she took a few steps forward to stare out into the crowd. Jessica saw a few familiar faces but again, none that were her brothers. She almost wondered if Smurf wanted her there by herself until she felt a hand fall upon her shoulder.

"Hey! I really love your shirt, where did you get it?" Nicky had a wide smile on her face as she spun around for Jessica to see her. She had a cup in her hand which was filled with a light pink liquid which she assumed to be spiked punch.

"Oh um…I found it at a thrift store a few years ago. Where is everyone at?" Jessica asked taking a look at the girl to make sure she'd be able to walk.

"I have no idea, J's sitting right over here. Come say hi!" Before Jessica could even protest, Nicky grabbed her hand and drug her over to the patio table. J was hidden behind a few people who were standing and talking so she didn't see him when she walked outside.

J had been taking a drink of beer when he watched Nicky drag Jessica over. He set the bottle down before standing up in order to see them. "Nicky, I think you need to sit down for a second" J noticed how she was walking in a zig-zag pattern.

"Shut up J, I'm perfectly capable of walking thank you very much. Look who I found! Isn't her shirt super cute? Do you have any that look like this?"

Jessica had a faint smile on her face in order to say hello. She didn't want to be pulled over to anyone but there was no way she could escape now. J reached over to the empty chair across from him and pulled it out for Jessica to sit down in. Before he could even answer Nicky, she waved to someone else walking through the door and hopped over to them.

"Wow…I've never seen her like this. Is she doing okay?" She asked watching her walk away before turning her attention to J. He nodded before looking after Nicky as well. "I mean, has she always partied like this? I don't want her abusing drugs and alcohol because of you know, everything that happened"

J brushed it off knowing that Nicky had always been a party girl. "Believe me, this isn't anything new. She's always been this way, probably why she hooked up with Craig in the first place. You don't have to worry about her"

It was different for Jessica to see her that way and it reminded her of her younger years. Julia also crept into her mind as she was usually worse than she was when it came to drugs. The eldest Cody sister could never stay sober no matter how much she tried.

"So um, how's the leg? I know I should have been here to check it out, but you say everything that was going on. How were the new stitches? I know I could have done better but we all know what I was going through" She commented feeling like there had been an elephant in the room.

"It's good, healed up nice so it's not like I have any nerve damage or anything" J stuck his leg out a little and lifted the hem of his boardshorts up. She leaned forward in order to check it over. There had been a white line down his thigh from scaring but it was hardly noticeable unless you got right on top of it. Jessica pulled away, leaned back in her chair and fumbled with the silver bracelet on her wrist. "You don't have to blame yourself, there wasn't anything you could do" J's eyes flickered to it and watched her. "How's the arm?"

Jessica was lucky enough to have her arm heal fine and without any complications. The cast came off weeks after she left so it was finally back to normal for her. "If I would have just shot his guys things probably wouldn't have been as bad as they were. I just wish everyone would have been here when it happened, I couldn't protect you two. It's fine, everything's good" She said looking at him once more. "I'm sorry about the way I acted before I left"

J could tell by the way Jessica was acting that it bothered her on how she left. It wasn't unusual for him though. "You don't need to apologize; I've been through all of that with my Mom. I mean, I've seen way worse than you trying to beat the shit out of Baz" He told her with a laugh, she joined in on the fun before rubbing the back of her head. "I'm serious, you hitting him with that cast on your arm was pretty funny. He came over here the next day with bruises all over his shoulder"

"Okay, I didn't hit him that hard" She responded with a laugh but really thought it over. "At least I didn't think I hit him that hard…You know what, he deserved it for the shit he kept putting me though" Jessica didn't really mean it but there was a part of her that did. She knew how her fits got when she was on drugs, but she was annoyed that he kept trying to follow her rather than help her. In actuality, he was guarding her so she didn't spin out of control, but it was hard for her to admit that. "Where is he anyway? I have to apologize to everyone for you know, me breaking the bathroom door down and making a run for it"

The younger Cody leaned his head back after he was done laughing too search around the backyard. "I don't know, I really haven't seen any of them tonight. I've been here with Nicky mostly but last I saw Deran and Baz hanging out by the pool"

Jessica turned her head as well in order to see if she spotted any of them. It was hard to tell through the crowd, but she was sure that it was Deran that she saw. Then again, the blonde was hanging by a female so that could possibly cross him out.

"I'm going to see if I can find them. I'll see you when Smurf decides to gather everyone together. Do you have any clue of what she wants?"

J shook his head no and watched her stand up. "You know you don't need to apologize to them Jessica. They'll understand, they always did with my Mom" He told her but that didn't matter much to her. She hung around them more so than Julia did and despite no one having bad blood against her, Julia stuck to herself and no one really came around.

She walked away from her nephew and headed towards the pool. Jessica saw Baz and Deran sitting behind the pool, mostly surrounded by females yet she couldn't tell if they were there for them or if Craig was nearby. Usually if a flock of girls were hanging around, Craig was present. She cut past a couple of people, reached the edge of the pool and took a deep breath. It was hard for her to see any of them, mostly Craig and Baz due to her actions. She wasn't sure what their reaction would be, but they always welcomed her back with open arms. She didn't even know if Smurf said anything to them about her showing back up. Then again, Jessica texted her Mother that she'd show but never got a response back.

Jessica braced herself for whatever reaction she was going to receive and pushed herself forward. "Hey…" She lingered off, loud enough for them to hear her. The three men turned their heads in her direction, and they all looked surprised, just as she would have guessed. Jessica put her left hand on her opposite arm and rubbed it slowly taking a glance between them all. The five girls that surrounded them all stared at well.

"Well look who it is, my sister who broke my door down" Craig said seriously before a smile appeared on his face. "I told you she was badass" He commented glancing at a brunette female who was attached at his hip, Jessica didn't recognize her.

"Please tell me you didn't tell anyone that…" She replied, her cheeks turning light pink out of embarrassment.

"Only the whole town" Deran said, jumping up from the lawn chair to give her a hug. He was joking around, but she wasn't sure if she should take it as a joke or not. Jessica had wrapped her arm around her younger brother. There was nothing awkward between then because he was at the party when she had her meltdown. Deran was just glad that she was okay as always. He didn't know what he'd do without her because they two of them had always been close. She helped him a lot when she was younger, and it was something Deran wouldn't forget.

"I didn't tell anyone even though it was pretty cool to see you do that. I didn't think you had that much strength. I'd beat this two up in wrestling all the time when we were kids" Craig told the random girl as well as the redhead at his other side.

Deran let go of Jessica and turned around to face him. "Yeah because you were already like six feet tall and weighed two eighty"

Scoffing at his remark, Jessica shook her head as a smile curled on her lips. He moved away from the girls and she gave him a hug as well. It was a go to family greeting for the Cody family. Smurf was signature for her kisses while Jessica was known for a hug. It was just her way of being comforting as well as knowing that everything was okay.

"You want a drink or something?" Craig asked her as he shifted to the other side of her, he then looked at Baz right away. "Before you decide to jump on my ass, I was going to ask if she wanted water…Unless you want to break another door down?" He then looked down at the blonde.

She held her tongue on his remark but smiled in his direction. Jessica agreed to him getting her a drink as it would send him away without any other comments. Her blue eyes shifted over towards Baz and they flickered between he and the dark-haired female he was sitting with. It sure wasn't Catherine and it wasn't Lucy, so it made her wonder if more who the girl was. She assumed it was just a random party girl because it wasn't uncommon for any of the boys to hook up with someone at the parties.

"So, are you just going to sit there and give me the silent treatment?" She questioned him as he looked back at her. Their eyes were locked on one another, but he hadn't said anything to her. Jessica gritted her teeth together before shaking her head lightly. "Whatever then" She said before turning away from them and walking away.

Jessica made her way towards the other side of the pool, opting to go get her own drink and lurk around the party. Deran had watched between the two of them waiting for Baz to follow her. After a few heartbeats, he jumped up to follow her. Baz called out to her, but she continued walking, he didn't know if she heard him or not. He walked faster to catch up and reached out for her wrist to get her to stop moving. Out of reaction, Jessica pulled back and spun around, getting face to face with him.

"Who's the girl? I thought Lucy and I were enough to handle? Well me in particular" She told him before crossing her arms over her chest.

"What? Are you getting jealous again?" Baz asked her, remembering the way she acted before. "Melissa is one of Craig's friends, I don't know who she is"

"Oh, so her name is Melissa?" Jessica said looking past to him to see her again. The woman had watched them for a moment before getting up and leaving where she was. It made her smirk as she focused back on him. "You know I don't get jealous; I just know what's mine"

Their eyes again were fixated on each other and it seemed that both had been looking over one another. There was some unspoken history between them and that was where their silence was coming from. Baz couldn't help but laugh at her statement, it was clear that Jessica had been jealous. She had always been with Cath; she was with Lucy and even random girls who lingered here and there. Jessica noticed that he wasn't dressed for a pool party as he sported his usual outfits, a black tee with jeans.

"Thank you for letting me take Lena to that thing at her school: She decided to break the tension they had with something easy. "She had a good time and I appreciate you letting me"

It was true, Lena really bonded with Jessica a week ago when she took her to the mother/daughter event. She also enjoyed it and it was nice to see the little girl smile once again. From what she knew, Lena still wondered and asked where Catherine was, switching between both Baz and Pope.

"She wouldn't stop asking about it, so I think she was more excited than you were. Besides, who was I going to send her with? Smurf?"

She shrugged her shoulders knowing that if Smurf would have known, Jessica would have been shoved out of the picture. She took a step closer to him and spoke, "How do I know? It could have been one of your other side chicks"

"Oh my God Jessica, the only side chicks you come up with are the other personalities you decide to have"

She laughed at his response because it was such a bold statement. Baz first hooked up with Julia which switched to Jessica, then Catherine entered the picture. He cheated on her with Jessica and Lucy, and now the argument is between the blonde and brunette. Jessica had been the one he kept going to, so it looked like she had the leverage overall. It seemed that the world wouldn't keep them apart and they always went back to one another.

"Why do you always accuse me of that?" Baz asked her.

"Are you serious Baz? Have you met you?" She fired back in a humorous tone. "You've always jumped around, remember those two sisters when you were in high school?" Jessica reminded him, remembering when they came around the house which made Craig mad.

The memory had him laugh faintly until he glanced at the pool. Baz was going to mess around with Jessica one more time in order to get her angry. It was always fun and games around Smurf's house, especially when a party came about. Jessica wasn't going to be too glad about the outcome but it was something he was willing to risk.

"Sometimes I really think you just like to start arguments"

Before Jessica even had a chance to respond, Baz grabbed a hold of her wrist, the one she formerly had a cast on. He yanked her hard enough to make her lose her balance and into the pool. Craig and Deran jumped up from the chairs as he had returned with her drink and laughed when they saw the splash of water. Both Baz and Jessica went into the water, causing others to swim away and the lands on land cheer with surprise.

"Dude, she's going to be so pissed when she comes up" Craig told Deran, moving around him to get a closer look.

Baz was the first to come up from the water and he shook his head to get the water out of his face. Craig had rushed over to him, bent down and told him that he was going to be dead. He still found it hysterical due to the number of times Jessica had been thrown in a pool

Jessica on the other hand looked like a phoenix rising out of the ashes. She rubbed her face quickly, mascara and eyeliner running down her cheeks. Her blue-grey eyes had landed on Baz, fury within them. They had been separated by a few feet which was good for Baz. She threw her hand out in rage and splashed water towards him. "You stupid ass! I swear to God I'm going to kill you!"

He made a jump for the edge of the pool in order to climb out. The partygoers watched with different emotions ranging from amusement, to confusion and to frustration due to all the noise. Craig moved out of the way, still laughing as Baz made his way to dry land. Jessica had splashed through the water, trying to catch him before he got out. She didn't make it in time, but it didn't stop her from trying to get him.

Running past some people, Baz was booking it back to the house as he glanced at Jessica just getting out of the pool. Both left a trail of a water behind them, their clothes sticking to their bodies. The Cody sister ignored her brothers laughing as she kicked off her platform sandals and began running right after him. He turned around watching her stalk him like prey, ready to lunge at his throat. Baz couldn't help but smile at her which only got a rise of out her more.

Baz stopped moving once she reached him, Jessica's eyes fuming, practically foaming at the mouth. "Next time you should try wearing a bathing suit" He told her, pointing to her dripping wet clothes. She wore a white bikini top underneath; Jessica was glad she put it on last second or everyone would have been able to see right through the top.

"You are such an asshole Baz!" She responded, still angry as she reached for him. He backed away still laughing and still getting on her nerves. Jessica didn't say anything else as she ran at him, but Baz was able to counter her movement. The second she reached for him, he swooped down and threw her over his shoulder. "Put me down! This isn't funny!" She cried out trying to laugh either. Jessica couldn't help it, it was amusing but she didn't want it to show.

Despite her trying to kick out of his grasp, Baz held onto her tight as he started to walk back over to the pool. Jessica's head had been whipping in any direction trying to see where he was going until the water caught her eye.

"Do it again!" Craig screamed over at him, pointing his red cup towards them. They exchanged glances before he slowly set Jessica back down directly in front of him, much to Craig's displeasure.

Jessica couldn't help but hold a smile on her face. "Are you done acting like a child?" She was careful not to take some steps back or she'd end up back in the pool. Baz glanced at Craig and Deran who split on up to each direction of them. Jessica turned her head to her left and right seeing her brothers racing towards her. "Don't you dare…I'm not kidding!"

Jessica made a run for it, but Baz grabbed her around the waist and held her there. As Deran and Craig finally arrived, he let go of her, but she had no place to go. All three of them tackled it, looking like a gigantic mess and going back into the pool.

Smurf had come out of the house after hearing all the commotion between the shouting, cheering and clapping that was going on from the crowd. Her eyes moved towards J who had still been watching but wasn't near the rest of his family. She fixed her bikini coverup and made her way towards the pool. Deran was the first to come up from the water, followed by the others.

She had reached the edge of the pool, stood their silently and stared at them. Smurf waited for all of them to notice her and when they did, she smirked. "Are you done tackling your sister or do I have to put everyone in timeout? Meeting in Jessica's old room"

All of them had seemed confused by her presence despite her calling them for the party. It seemed that none of them had seen her all night and it was the first time she decided to come around. They did as she said, letting Jessica go first because she didn't trust any of them. She grabbed a beach towel that was lying on a chair, ruffled her hair in it before wrapping it around her body. She wasn't about to share it, she hoped they would get yelled at for getting the carpet soaked.

When they entered the room, J and Pope were already inside with Pope sitting on the bed and J leaning against the window. "What the hell happened to all of you?" He questioned in his usual monotone voice.

"Your brothers are assholes, that's what" Jessica simply replied not wanting to use a different word for the night. She glared at them, before smiling playfully. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Smurf entered before slamming the door shut. Locking it behind her, she carried a black bag with her.

"So, what's this meeting all about?" Baz asked, running a hand through his wet, brown hair.

"I brought all of you a little present, to hold you over until your next job" Smurf steps towards everyone and J moved closer. Deran and Craig moved to the opposite it of the bed to see what it was. Pulling out manilla envelops, she handed on to each of them. As all of them took a folder, they peered inside knowing it was money but didn't know how much.

"What's all this for?" Deran asked, a confused expression sitting on his face.

"I never paid any of you for digging up the bones, did I? I'm sure all of you have waited for this money and here I am giving it to you. I want to show my appreciation, I know you just pulled the church job, but I wanted you all to know how grateful I am for all of you"

Jessica looked up in order to see everyone's face. She was as confused as Deran, mostly wondering why she was getting any money. She hadn't done anything but get kidnapped, maybe it was Smurf's way of apologizing.

The Matriarch scanned everyone once more before zipping her bag back up. "It's the church money that Baz gave me to pay Javi's debt. It's almost 30,000 divided up"

"How much?" J asked, not believing how much it was. Despite pulling the job with the boys, he didn't know how much they all made. When Baz gave everyone a cut at Deran's bar, it hadn't been the whole amount, just enough to hold them over until the rest was counted. That ended up being the money he gave her to get Jessica back.

"You really think giving Craig almost 30k is a good idea?" Baz turned to his Mother then glanced his way.

"Fuck you, I don't just waste money on coke and partying" He fired back easily annoyed.

Jessica laughed faintly before speaking, "Craig is right, he also spends it on strippers and one-night stands"

"I don't have to listen to either of you" Craig told before walking towards the door. Smurf called him back in order to get her usual thank you, a hug and a kiss. He did so and step out.

The others had followed through with the same action until it came to Jessica. She wrapped the towel around her closer as she shivered hard. Being soaking wet and in air condition wasn't helping her so she tucked the money inside of the towel and looked at Smurf.

"Thank you, I don't know why I get a cut but thanks" She said wishing to avoid her gaze as she always felt guilty of something.

Smurf smiled back before stepping closer to her. Now that Jessica was sober, her plan had fallen. Giving her the pills was her way of keeping her in line and away from Baz. It was a technique she did for Pope with his medication. Now she had to deal with Jessica sober again which was harder because she enjoyed the freedom she felt.

"You are family, aren't you?" She told her before holding out her arms for a hug. Jessica had hesitated since she was still dripping with water, but Smurf didn't care. It was a short hug but when they pulled apart, Jessica had something to say.

"I'm sorry about the way I acted before I disappeared. You know, breaking down the bathroom door. I was just using them to cope with what happened, but I was lucky for having a friend from rehab. He took care of me and got be sober. I know it's disappointing, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry"

Smurf listened closely before shaking her head faintly. "You're okay now and that's all that matters. Your arm is healed and now we can put the Javi thing behind us" She reached out and grabbed her arm to check it over. "Are you staying for the party?"

She watched her mother trace her arm up and down before she dropped it. "If I wasn't soaking wet yes, but I think I need a change of clothes at this moment"

As they concluded their conversation, Jessica went to say goodbye to her family members. Pope split shortly after she did as he was not staying for a party. The first thing she wanted to do was change into fresh clothes and curl on the couch with a good book. Jessica honestly debated on returning back to her childhood home, but she didn't trust any of the boys. She wasn't going get soaked again in order to change her clothes for the fourth or fifth time that day.

When Jessica arrived home, she turned on the lights in her apartment and tossed the beach towel she borrowed from whoever on the couch. Slamming the door closed, she raced through the place, being careful to not slip on the hardwood floor. Even though the towel helped soak up some of the water, her shorts were still leaking slightly. Running into the bathroom, Jessica peeled her clothes off and tossed them into the bathtub before heading to her room.

She navigated through the sea green bedroom and into the dark closet. Jessica reached back after being hidden behind the closet door to flick on the lamp that was sitting on her dresser. Her windows were wide open, so she was moving as quickly as possibly just in case someone decided to peek in. Grabbing a pair of red plaid pajama pants and a black tank top, Jessica threw those on before glancing into her full-length mirror on the opposite side of her room

Jessica had forgotten that she had a full face of makeup on so now it made sense as to why Pope asked what happened. Not only were they all dripping with water, she looked as if she had just been run down by truck. She now went back into the peach colored bathroom and grabbed a few tissues. She wiped the black make up off her cheeks with a little and rubbed until they turned red. Turning the faucet off, she heard a knock at the door. Tossing the tissues in the wastebasket, she hopped over to the door and opened it.

"Did you really follow me all the way over here?" She questioned, staring at Baz. Jessica notice he changed out of his clothes as well. He now sported a white t-shirt with dark pants.

"I was in the neighborhood" Baz replied with a faint smirk appearing on his lips. Her face was filled with skepticism because the two didn't live that close to one another. As Baz's house was right on the beach, Jessica's apartment was north of it and was ten minutes away from shore. It was approximately twenty minutes apart so there was no reason he would be in her neck of the woods.

"I'm sure you were…" Jessica peered out the door to her left then to the right, looking at the empty stairway. "There's no pool for you to throw me in so what's your reason of showing up now"

"Oh, come on, you are like a fish. You remember when we were kids and Smurf would send Pope or I to come get you when it got too dark? She'd throw a fit because you weren't back in time to eat dinner. We'd have to practically drag you because you wanted to stay by the water all night"

She remembered fondly of the days and nights that she'd spend at the beach. Out of all the Cody's Jessica probably had the most love for the ocean. Deran and Craig were always surfing but there was something else to her than just surfing. The way the sand felt underneath her feet, letting the waves carry her out into the open, the feeling of flying. She loved watching the sunrise and sunset, feeling like she owned the beach when no one was around. Smurf had mentioned before that she refused getting out of the pool when she was younger, hence the nickname and Jessica believed it was a trait she got from her.

"You know, I don't think anyone suspected a thing" He told her, hanging his arm on the doorway.

"Why would they? They last think I saw you a month ago. We've always been good at keeping this a secret, haven't we?" She asked with a smirk of her own. "Give me one good reason that I should invite you in"

"You know a good enough reason" He told her, watching her backing away and accepting the invite.

Little did anyone know, Jessica and Baz and continued to see each other despite her not showing up around Smurf or anyone else. When she started getting the help she needed, she went over to his house to apologize and to take Lena to the dance event. Once they returned, Baz invited her in because she wanted to talk about everything that happened between them. One thing led to another and they were back where they were as if nothing ever went on.

Th second Baz stepped through the door, she pushed forward, and their lips collided. Jessica smiled into the kiss as she wrapped her hands around his shoulders. He kicked the door closed with her fit while wrapped his arms around her waist. It had been this way for a while, and they were going full force into this relationship.

She removed her hands, put them on the hem of her tank top and ripped it off. Despite them having animosity at Smurf's, it was all on ploy on everyone else. They wanted to look like they were separated, they wanted to look like they were fighting. It was easier pretending to be like that in front of the family than being together. Their relationship was better hidden than anything else…

Pope had arrived at Jessica's apartment early in the morning and looked around the parking lot. He didn't bother pulling into a parking spot as he was just running inside. A familiar silver car caught his attention, so he was right where I wanted to be.

"Am I going to be late for school?" Lena asked, wiggling in her backseat to look at the scenery.

"Not if I can help it. Unbuckle, we're going up to the apartment. Grab your things" Pope told her before shutting the engine off and getting out.

He waited for Lena to step around the car, bookbag in tow. He had something planned already and expected Baz to show up last night. It wasn't unusual for him to not come home but he had other plans. After staying with Lena at Baz's, he stopped by Smurf's to check if he was there. The only obvious place was Jessica and he felt a wave of relief after finding out he was there.

The little girl trailed behind him up the stairs as Pope had been on a mission. Baz was going to take Lena to school like the parent he's supposed to be. After climbing two flights of stairs, Pope didn't bother knocking as he reached for the doorknob. Turning it, it wasn't locked so he pushed it open before stepping inside. His eyes noticed the black tank top on the ground, and he looked behind him at Lena.

"Stay here, go ahead and sit on the couch. I'll be right back" Lena nodded at his words and stepped around him in order to get to the sofa. Plopping down, she looked around the place realizing she had decorated more compared to when she was first there.

As Pope walked down the narrow hallway, he glanced behind him to make sure Lena hadn't followed. He didn't want her to be behind him because it was something that she didn't need to see. Once he reached the door, he cracked it open before marching inside.

Baz and Jessica were sound asleep and didn't even flinch after hearing the door. She had been facing the window to the left of her with him lying behind her. Pope scanned the room again, seeing clothes scattered all over the floor so he knew that they slept together.

Moving over to the bed, he stood next to Jessica and placed a hand on her shoulder. He shook gently at first but when she didn't stir, he did it more forcefully. She groaned then opened her groggy eyes. Blinking a couple of times, Jessica had assumed it was Baz trying to wake her for unknown reasons. She nearly hopped out of her skin when he saw Pope staring down at her.

"Jesus Christ! What the hell Pope?" Gripping the sheet around her, she quickly sat up and banged her back on the wooden headboard. The noise and movement woke Baz up who nearly had the same reaction as she did.

Pope's eyes wandered between the two of them and he wasn't about to comment on what transpired. "Get dressed. You need to take Lena to school"

"What? Why didn't you take her?" Baz asked him before rubbing his eyes.

"Because I have things to do. She's going to be late unless you hurry up. She's on the couch"

"She's here?" It was now Jessica's turn to asked hoping that she wasn't going to walk into the scene. She began looking for some clothes but then remembered they were out in the living room. Pope turned away sharply, moved to the door and closed it without another word.

Neither one of them knew exactly what he was thinking or if he was going to say anything to anyone. It was bad enough that he walked in on them but with Lena being present, their relationship could be in jeopardy. If she said anything to Smurf, the Matriarch could piece two and two together. Jessica had rubbed her forehead hard before grabbing her underwear that was right next to the bed. Slipping them on, she hopped up and ran over to the closet.

"I'll take Lena to school. I haven't seen her much since the dance" She said as she moved quickly. Jessica didn't know why she was hiding her body from him as she was relieved when she grabbed a shirt. Pulling on a black one shoulder sweater, Jessica reached into her dresser for a pair of pink shorts.

"I can take her, it's not a big deal" He told her, grabbing his pants as well.

"I want to, I'm sure she'd rather see me than you" She joked not knowing that it was probably the truth. She walked over towards him while tying her hair into a tight ponytail. "Text me later or something" As Baz stood up, she pecked him on the cheek.

The second she turned away, he reached for her wrist and pulled her back to him. They locked lips for what seemed like the hundredth time until Jessica was the first to pull away. Her smile lingered on her face as they stared at one another. The silence between them held noise but neither one of them had to say a word.


	29. Copping Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica gets picked up by the Detectives

Walking out of her bedroom, Jessica noticed Lena sitting on the couch, kicking her legs in the air. "Hey...Is it cool if I take you to school?" She asked knowing she wouldn't have a problem with it.

She jumped up with a smile on her face in order to hug her. "I thought Daddy was going to take me. That's what Uncle Pope said"

Pope had been standing in the kitchen area, eyes locked on her. It was clear as to what when on and he was already casting judgement. Jessica could feel his eyes burn into her; it was a feeling she was having trouble ignoring. Her attention was focused on Lena, but she took a glance at him in order to get him to stop.

"I mean, he can if you want him to, but I thought I'd take you. You get to ride in my Jeep with the top down again"

Lena's face lit up when she said that, something that she hadn't done often. Jessica did everything she could to make Lena feel wanted, the opposite of what Baz was doing. It was nice having another girl in the family and it was clear that she and Catherine didn't get along. Lena wasn't only her niece, she was family.

"Where is Baz anyway?" Pope asked she, knowing that she was going to keep ignoring him. "She's going to be late if you keep talking"

Jessica didn't want to get into any argument with Pope, so she moved over to the front door and ripped her keys off its hook. She guided Lena outside before looking over her shoulder at Pope. He moved past her, nearly knocking her over when she took a glance towards the bedroom. Pope was right, Baz never appeared, and she couldn't figure out why.

After Lena hopped into her Jeep, she made sure she was hooked in before pulling out of the parking lot. Jessica occasionally peeked in the back seat to see if she was alright. It wasn't that she was acting differently, she just wanted to make sure things were okay.

"How is school? Uncle Pope told me that you really like art class" Flipping her turning signal on, she turned the corner before stopping behind some traffic.

Lena had been rolling down the back window an inch before looking up at the front. "It's okay, I'd rather stay with Grandma Smurf because she bakes things all the time. I want to be a painter when I get older"

"A painter? That's pretty cool, maybe you'll be the next Van Gogh" Jessica told her and glanced in the rearview mirror. Lena's face filled with confusion and for a moment, the elder Cody forgot who she was talking to. "I used to like painting. I don't do it anymore, but I always enjoyed doing so"

"What's your favorite color? I like green...Grandma Smurf thinks I like the color pink, but I hate it. She always buys me pink teddy bears. My outfit is even pink"

"My favorite color is sea green, or I think it's called seafoam. Aqua is a pretty color too" Jessica pulled ahead to another stop light so she turned around to look at Lena. She did have on a light pink shirt with magenta colored jeans. "Wow, she really decked you out, didn't she? I'll make sure to have your Dad pack clothes that Grandma Smurf didn't buy"

As Jessica had been approaching the school, she clicked her phone on in order to see the time. Lena was going to be late no matter how quick she drove. "Hey Lena, can I ask you a question? Will you be honest with me about it?" She asked her the second she pulled up right out of the school.

The little girl nodded her head, staring at the back of Jessica's seat. "I know you've been having a hard time with your Mom being gone and everything but...You know I would do anything for you, right?" She nodded again in response and Jessica turned the engine off. "Is Uncle Pope taking good care of you?"

"Yeah, he takes me places whenever he has to go places and Amy is really, really nice. I have friends at church now" Lena told her, making Jessica crack a faint smile. "Why doesn't my Dad like me?"

"What?" Jessica questioned a little too quickly before whipping around in her seat. "Who told you that he doesn't care about you?" Lena looked at her nervously and fiddled with her fingers. "It's okay Lena, you can tell me"

It wasn't a shock that Lena was picking up on how absent Baz was being in her life. Most of the time she was with Pope, then would sleep at Smurf's. In all honesty, it started making Jessica feel guilty for spending so much time with him. Jessica wasn't ever letting his bad parenting slide as she was always on his back for it. The problem with Baz was that it went in one ear and out the other.

"Grandma Smurf..." Lena said quietly but Jessica could hear her easily.

Turning back around in her seat, Jessica put her fingers to her temple and rubbed slowly. It shouldn't have surprised her that Smurf was saying things to Lena but for some reason it did. Despite Baz being an absent parent, he still cared for Lena. She bit her lip thinking something over before getting out of th keep. She walked over to her side; Lena was already unbuckled when she opened the door.

"You know that whatever she tells you isn't true, right?" She asked the little girl. Lena didn't look at her for a moment until they met eyes. "Lena, you know that your Dad cares about you, we all do. You have a family that cares about you and I promise you that it will never change. We'll always be here for you know matter what"

She backed away from the car to let Lena get out. After slamming the door shut, Jessica guided Lena towards the front of the school in order walk her inside.

"Excuse me, do you have a second?" A man asked from behind them which prompted Jessica and Lena to turn around at the voice. "Hi Lena, how are you doing?"

"I'm sorry but who are you?" The Cody sister asked the man with suspicion in her voice. She had never seen the man before in her life and wondered how he knew Lena. He was tall, dark skinned with a faded haircut. Sporting dark pants, a white T-shirt and black jacket, he looked between them before smiling.

"My name is Patrick Fischer, Detective at Oceanside police department. You're Jessica Cody, correct?" He asked, keeping his voice calm and cool.

Jessica didn't understand why a detective was showing up for the little girl, let alone at her school. She was in the dark about everything that transpired with Catherine as she wasn't home to begin with. Turning her head to look at Lena, she didn't answer him which prompted him to continue talking.

"I was wondering if I'd be able to ask Lena some questions. I thought maybe her Father would have been here, but I can get permission from a family member"

That statement made Jessica shake her head hard. A number one rule in the Cody family was to never make friends or talk to police. Even though Lena was a child, she still wasn't allowed to hang around anyone in law enforcement. It was clear that the guy already knew who she was from the get-go and that worried her.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen" She told him, turning the both of them around and started walking to the front of the school yet again. Reassuring the girl that everything was okay, she walked her to the door.

Jessica had hoped the detective would have disappeared as she had taken longer with Lena on purpose. Patrick however did not leave or even move an inch. She didn't know what to do because she had no idea why there was a cop waiting for Lena. Jessica knew Baz didn't know either as she would have heard something.

"You mind if I ask you a couple questions?" He questioned as she was walking back down the sidewalk in his direction.

"I actually have to be getting ready for work" She told him a little too quickly.

"It will only take a couple minutes, twenty tops" Patrick watched her closely as she stopped. "You can ride down with me or take your car, your choice"

Next thing Jessica knew, she was driving down to the Oceanside Police department. It wasn't her first time there as she remembered bailing Craig or Deran out. She followed behind him in her Jeep as there was no way she was going to ride with a cop. Whenever informed her what was going on at the same time, Jessica was interested.

Detective Fischer lead her through precinct before taking her into a cold and empty room. As Jessica pulled out the silver metal chair, she taken a look around the room. She had never been in a police department in her life, so it had been a first for everything. Out of all the Cody's, she was tied with J for not having a background. It was surprising due to her drug abuse, but she learned to stay hidden and out of trouble. Taking a seat quietly, it was uncomfortable. The entire room was colored grey with paint peeling on the corner of a wall. Jessica sat across from a large window which was a two-way mirror. The only objects in the room were the table, chair and folder that the Detective was holding.

"Why are you bringing me in for questioning?" She asked, watching him pull out the other chair.

"Please state your full name. That includes first, middle and last. Just so you know, everything is recorded on that camera in the corner..." The way he lingered the sentence made her question why she was really there. She knew better than to even start anything in a place full of police.

"Why don't you tell me why I'm really here because you already know my name" The Cody's were famous with the cops, mostly Craig who had the biggest record? Pope did the long with his prison time, but Craig beat him out by how many times he got caught.

"Once you cooperate, the faster this will go. Please state your name so I can continue with my questioning"

Throwing her hand up in the air, she shook her head heavily. "Jessica Janine Cody. Now what am I here for?"

"Thank you Jessica" Detective Fischer sat down slowly and took a deep breath. There was this underlying tension filling the air as he watched her as if she was going to sprint out. "So, you are the daughter of Janine Cody correct?"

"Clearly if we share the same name" Jessica told him before leaning back in her chair. She threw her leg over the other and proceeded to cross her arms over her chest. "I was born on May 13th, I'm a Taurus. I have four older siblings, one younger, a niece and a nephew. I graduated high school, got a nursing degree and have been to rehab six times. Anything else you'd like to know?"

Her entire speech made him chuckle before he rubbed his mouth. Jessica knew better than to even discuss anything with police and he should have known that. He leaned back as well, flipping through some pages before taking a look at her again.

"So...I haven't seen your brother locked up in a while, that's a first...Was it fun hitting up that church for the money?" He asked her calmly.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Pretty big church, right? If you think my family had something to do with it, you can guess again. We were all together that night so I think I could be a good alibi" Jessica told him, tightening her arms. They pulled that job off a while ago; she didn't understand why he was questioning her now.

"Your brother Pope was in prison after a robbery, correct? I mean, your brothers break into a place to rob it. He gets caught, does some prison time and now he's out. Old habits die hard..."

"Apparently they do" Jessica felt her phone buzz in her pocket but she didn't move to look at it. It was probably the clinic wondering where she was considering she decided to pick up a shift today. She opted to keep her eyes on him to show that she wasn't going to back down from his challenge.

Detective Fischer's dark eyes lingered towards her pants pocket after hearing the noise. "You gonna answer that?" He asked as Jessica shook her head no. "Isn't it a coincidence that you all happen to be together the night of a robbery? Most of your family have records with stealing and you expect me to believe that none of you pulled that?"

"Look Detective, I'm a registered nurse. I've been to school and I've held a job. Do you really think I'm going to risk that to do time in prison? I already told you that my brothers and I were together that night and we sure as hell didn't take almost half a million from a church"

If he thought Jessica was easy to break, she had another thing for him. The Detective hadn't ever handled any kind of case with a Cody family member. He assumed that he'd be able to get some sort of information from Jessica and break her enough to get it.

"Okay, well then what were you doing that night?" He questioned.

"We met at Deran's bar and then we went over to Baz's. Is that good enough for you?" She told him coolly.

"Interesting..." He grabbed the tan folder on the table again and focused his attention on it. Jessica wanted to take a peek at it, but she was leaning to far back. It piqued her interest and her nerves. "Baz is your brother, right?"

She nodded her head yes before narrowing her blue eyes towards him. He slipped a piece of paper out of it before sliding a picture towards her. "Then you must recognize who this is then. Go ahead, take a look"

Sliding the picture against the cold, silver table, Jessica didn't move an inch. Her eyes glanced down at it, but she knew who it was by the brown hair. She bit her lip before looking up at Detective Fischer. He nodded toward so Jessica sighed and leaned forward.

"It's Catherine, Baz's girlfriend" She said quietly, taking a hold of the picture. She had never seen it before, but it didn't stop her from looking it over. "Is this what you brought me here for?"

"Catherine Ortiz hasn't been seen or heard from in the last few months. Do you have any idea where she could be?"

She stared at the photograph for a few more seconds. Cath's disappearance wasn't talk about by anyone in the family. She had her own assumptions and believe that she decided o leave Baz for good. She used to threaten it all the time but the thing that bothered her was Lena. Catherine would have never left her daughter behind.

"I have no idea where she is. Actually, I haven't seen in a long time" The fight she had with Catherine over Baz floated into her mind. That was the last time she saw the family for a while as she headed to rehab shortly after that.

His face had filled with skepticism and Detective Fischer leaned towards the table. "You haven't? She's practically your sister in law but you haven't seen her?"

"What? You don't believe me?" Jessica fired back, leaning back once more in the chair. "I was in rehab a year ago, stayed in a sober house and kept to myself. When I came back around, I found out Cath was missing so no, I haven't seen her since we got into a fight at a party"

The last sentence slipped out of her mouth and Jessica nearly raised her hand to cover her mouth. That was the best part of being a detective, get the person angry enough and they'll start spilling secrets. Detective Fischer watched her shift in her chair, reached for the picture and put it back in the folder.

"So you two got into a fight? How long ago did this happen?" She now has no choice but to tell him a year ago in order to get her off of her tail. "Okay so you and Catherine get into a fight at a party and now she's nowhere to be found. What was the fight about?"

"Doesn't this get old? Interrogating people until you get what you want?" Jessica now asked him, knowing that she wasn't about to tell him anything. He shrugged at her remark but didn't answer. "It's none of your business"

"Was it about Baz?" The detective inquired with a hint of suspicion in his voice. He knew something was up between them, but Jessica was still playing it cool. "I'm curious to know how close you to are. He's your brother, correct?"

"Look, if your issue is finding Cath, I suggest focusing on that. I have nothing to do with her disappearance, neither does Baz or my family. My personal life is not any concern to you so unless you have to charge me with something, I'm out of here"

Jessica wasn't going to deal with questions her relationship with Baz. She had already dodged issues with Smurf, Lucy and now she was onto Pope. Everyone could have their suspicions and neither one of them were going to say anything. It clicked in her brain that Detective Fischer knew something was up between them which meant he had been holding a look out on the family.

"You were never charged with anything in the first place, so you were always free to go" He told her as Jessica stood up quickly from the chair. "It's interesting that the person you are closest to in that family is a suspect for his missing girlfriend. You Cody's really think you are untouchable, don't you?"

He also stood up from the table, popped the folder up to move the picture around but didn't even take a glance at her. The last sentence really rubbed her the wrong way as did the whole conversation in general. On top of being late for work, Jessica had to tell the family, let alone Smurf her run in with the police.

"You seem to think you have my family figured out" Jessica responded, keeping her hand on the door handle but turned in order to face him. "That we are such criminals who are greedy, hungry for money. Well guess what? You can continue to think you can take us down, but we are going nowhere. We are human and we are family at the end of the day. You come after us, you already know what happens"

"Is that supposed to be threat Jessica?" After talking the folder on the table, his eyes burned into her.

"You can take it however you want and then you can fuck off" Ripping the door open, Jessica made strides down the hallway, a few police glancing at her but she didn't take any time to pay attention to them. She was angry for unknown reasons but the whole thing made her become more aware of her surroundings.

Later that night, Jessica had pulled into Baz's driveway in order to talk about what happened. After it being a long morning, she wanted nothing more than sleep, but he wouldn't get off of her back if she cancelled. Jessica also didn't tell anyone else in the family about the situation and she wanted to let it die down for a day or two before telling Smurf.

More importantly, Jessica had other things to talk to Baz about and that was Lena. Her issue with the Detective was one thing but the little girl hadn't left her mind. It bothered her that Smurf told her that Baz doesn't car because it was the same thing she heard when she was little.

With a fresh set of clothes on, particularly just grey sweatpants and a white T-shirt, she knocked on the front door and waited to see Baz pop into view. He waved his hand for her to step inside and she quietly did, assuming Lena was with him for the night. He told her earlier that Smurf supposedly had plans, Pope had things to do yet again so she was going to be with him for the night. As Jessica moved in, she slid the door behind her closed before taking a peek into Lena's room.

She smiled faintly before reaching for the doorknob to shut the door. Even though Lena was sound asleep, Jessica didn't want to talk about anything in front of her. Baz had been cleaning up a couple of things in the kitchen, so she went to sit down at the breakfast nook.

"I see Lena made you make her pancakes again" Jessica commented, watching Baz grab a couple of plates.

Baz nodded at her before tossing them into the sink. "The sooner I get done, the quicker we can get to talking about whatever happened today"

"I think we've got more important things to talk about rather than me practically getting arrested"

The only reason he knew something was because Lena had told him that she had gotten arrested. Of course that hadn't been the truth but she was going to put in on the back burner for now. Jessica wondered if she should wait in order for him to finish but she was afraid that he was just going to blow it off. If Baz was distracted, things would be possibly be different because she had more important things on her mind. He glanced in her direction out of curiosity and waited for her to continue.

"You know what Lena said to me today? She thinks you hate her because you don't spend enough time with her. It really bothered me, and I sure hope that bothers you" She told him sternly before leaning back. Jessica looked towards him and watched him stop right next to the sink. "Come on, you can't be that surprised Baz"

He hadn't answered her as a few thoughts ran through his head. It was the truth, he hardly ever spent time with Lean or paid attention to her. Despite Jessica trying her best to make him realize it, it was Baz's choice on what to do. Taking a deep breath, he moved away to lean against the kitchen island in order to face her.

"You know I love Lena and she knows that. Where did she get that idea from? Was it Pope?"

"Who do you think told her that?" Jessica raised her eyebrows towards him before it clicked. "Yes, it was Smurf, Lena told me herself that it was she told her that…Will you promise me that you are going to start spending time with her? I'm just going to back off for a while and…"

Baz quickly cut her off and shook his head. "No, you don't need to do that. I'll figure something out. I'll talk to Pope about everything. Just give me time to figure things out, okay?"

"I'm serious, I want you to take care of her. Look, I know your angry right now over what Smurf and you're probably not caring what I'm saying now but I've been in her shoes. Before she took you in, or even after, she used to tell me that all the time. I'd ask her where my Dad was, and she'd tell me the same thing. I remember having bring your Dad to school day and I was the like the only kid in there without one. Smurf used to tell me that he didn't care about Deran or I, that he abandoned us and that he never cared. I don't even know what the guy looks like, I've never even saw a picture of him. Lena needs you because she doesn't have Cath around anymore"

The name nearly stung Baz and he moved back over to the sink. Jessica watched his reaction with confusion, and she leaned forward to see him past the cabinets. Any time she would bring her up, it never bothered him so clearly something was up. At the same time, Baz seemed a little distance the second she walked in the house.

"What is it? Did you find something out?" She asked him, watching the shift not only in his face but also his movement.

"I hired a guy to see if he could dig up anything on her, if there has been any trace of her but there hasn't. Did you know that she had a separate bank account? Twenty thousand dollars just sitting there"

The information shouldn't have surprised Jessica, but it did. At the same time, she didn't blame Catherine for hoarding money. It all came down to protecting herself as well as Lena and if Jessica were in the same shoes, she'd do the same. She looked out for herself her whole life so she couldn't blame Cath for the same thing. Lena was also a push to keep secrets. Jessica's eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened when she heard the piece of information, but it all started making sense now.

"Did Lena tell you what happened today after you picked her up from school?"

This momentarily distraction Baz from his thoughts on Catherine. "No, what happened? IS everything okay?"

"Well let's just say I got sent to a police station by a detective. He knows Lena, Baz. I don't know how but he greeted her first before he even paid attention to me"

It was now Baz's turn to look shocked as his blue eyes lit up in surprise. He shut the water off from the sink as he had been washing dishes and moved away from the kitchen. Glancing towards Lena's bedroom, the door was still closed as he had been double checking. Moving over towards Jessica, he rested his forearms on the chair across from her. "How would she know a detective?"

"I don't know, believe me I didn't understand it either. He wanted me to go down to the station, so I went because I wasn't going to look suspicious or anything" Not that Jessica was guilty of something, but it was bad enough police were lurking. "He started asking me about the church that you all robbed but I gave us alibis. Then out of no where he asked me about Cath. The last time I seen her, last time I talked to her. I slipped and said we got into that fight at Smurf's then he questioned me about you. He began wondering how close truly were so then I came to the conclusion that…"

"He's snooping around" Baz cut her off before she finished her sentence. It was the only way that the Detective would know if they were seeing one each other. Another possibility was if Catherine had been talking to him and spilling secrets. It would explain her disappearance but wouldn't explain why she left Lena. "Does he know anything?"

"It didn't seem like it by the questions he was asking me. I really don't want to ask you this but…" Jessica stopped talking and glanced down at the ground. She folded one leg in front of her before setting the other up. She placed her chin on her knee and glanced towards him. "You didn't do anything to her, right?"

"Are you kidding me Jess?"

"I'm just making sure because I really don't want to know that I'm sleeping with a murderer" She told him just taking precaution. Jessica didn't believe that Baz had anything to do with Cath's disappearance, but it did slip into her mind throughout the day. Despite Pope being the most unstable, Jessica just wanted to make sure.

Baz stared for a brief second. Out of all people, he didn't expect Jessica took look at him differently. Taking a deep breath, he thought about something that had been bothering his mind all day. "I didn't do anything to Cath, I would never hurt her. What I do know…She's dead"

"What?" Jessica furrowed her eyebrows after his last statement. In all honesty, she started wondered about it from the get-go but who would have had it out for her? She stayed true to the family unless she was really talking to the cops. "Baz, you don't really think…"

"She's dead Jessica! Where in the hell else would she be?" He yelled faintly before pulling away from the chair. "She's dead and that's the reason that Lena was left behind. I mean come on; she hasn't touched her twenty thousand dollars in her bank account. She hasn't come back for our daughter or even left a trail. She's dead, that's it"

Jessica quickly shushed him before raising her hand to her mouth thinking. It had been the first time that Baz showed any kind of emotion to her about Catherine's disappearance. She didn't care really about it either as it was hardly her concern or business. The only thing that bothered her was how much it affected Lena.

She sighed loudly herself before leaning back once more. ""Well it's not like she's going to wash up on the beach or anything like that" She commented lowly but knew that he heard her.

"What? Where did that come from?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Jessica responded. "I don't know, I read it in a story once. Believe me, the book was horrible…" She trailed off, looking at his back before he turned around to face her. "So, what do we do about this detective? I really don't want him showing up at the clinic or harass me with more questions"

"This isn't your problem; it all falls on me" He told her with seriousness in his voice.

"It is my problem because all of your shit is now falling on to me" She responded with the same tone. "You know I'm with you on this right?" The look on his face told otherwise. "You and I are a team. Whatever you're going, so am I"

The Cody's always had each other's back no matter the situation. The ride or die mentality was within all of them and since Jessica and Baz are together, it went even further with them. A faint smile appeared on Baz's lips as he walked over to her. He watched her for a minute before looking in for a quick, yet passionate kiss. When he pulled back, she had a smile now appearing on her face.

"We call Pope" He said simply, reached into his back pocket for his phone and began searching through his contacts.

"Call Pope? What is he going to do?" She asked him not understanding why they were dragging him into it.

"He'll handle it. How many times did he handle things when we asked him to? He can keep an eye on the detective for us because the guy isn't going to be after Pope. This way we know what he's doing"

Jessica had to give it to him, it did make sense. Pope was the most intimidating Cody, the most unhinged and the most trustworthy. If Detective Patrick was going to shut down by someone, it was going to be him. At the same time, she didn't want the others to know what happened, but it would come out in due time. She waited for him to make the phone call and it was a matter of time for him to appear.

When Pope arrived, Baz was finally sitting across from Jessica and they seemed like they were in a deep conversation. He wasn't sure what was going on, but it was something if the two of them were together. Even though a month had passed, he had his conclusions about the two of them staying together. When dropping Lena off a couple of times, he passed Jessica's famous blue jeep on the streets.

"What's going on?" Pope asked them as they both turned to stare at him the second, he walked in.

"There's a little favor we want you to do. You don't have to if you don't want" Baz told him as Pope shifted his eyes between them. He moved over towards the table so he could be in between them.

Baz looked towards Jessica who knew it was her turn to speak. "I got called into the police station over Cath's disappearance today. This guy is watching the family, he's apparently watched Baz for a while and now he's onto me. Can you get this guy to go away?"

As Pope continued to look between them, his eyes turned into slits trying to figure out exactly what they were asking. "I'm not murdering a cop"

Jessica's ocean eyes looked towards Baz who faintly laughed. Pope had always taken things to the extreme. "That's not what we mean Pope. Can you just watch this guy for a while? If he's onto Jess, it's only a matter of time he goes to you or Smurf. Just make sure he stays his distance. I understand if it's a no, but he showed up to Lena's school when Jessica was dropping her off"

"He showed up at her school?" The last part started to anger him. Lena had been his world for the past few months, and he wasn't going to let a cop snoop around her. Pope was keeping her out of trouble, doing everything he could for her even though he was the one who killed Catherine. Baz nor Jessica didn't know the truth and they wouldn't at all. The two of them nodded in response rather than speaking. "What's his name? I'll look for him tomorrow"

As Smurf was keeping a hold of Pope, it now looked like Jessica and Baz were doing the same. Craig, Deran and J may having been leaning towards her, but it was time to get someone else to back them up. Even though it had been a small shift, the couple was starting to power play everything. Before Pope arrived, they discussed a few things that were important and would change within the Cody dynamic. It had either been Baz's influence on Jessica, or she simply understood how everything worked from now on. As for Baz, Jessica could have been part of his motivation along with power. Whatever it was, the two were not going anywhere and were not going to back down from anybody.


	30. Secrets are Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baz decides to get back at Smurf

Smurf had reached out to Baz in for him to bring Lena more clothes. Even though she had been spending time with him and Pope, she still spent a majority of her time sleeping at Smurf's. In the beginning, Smurf didn't mind taking care of her that much as she was her youngest grandchild but now it was starting to get to her. Baz would constantly leave Lena at her house when she had other things to do. If she wasn't there, she was with Pope but most of the time she was dropped off at her house at night.

Baz would have rather dropped the things off when she wasn't home, but Smurf insisted that he stop by when she was present. She had a few things on her mind that she wanted to talk about, but he wasn't in the mood to hear any of them. He had assumed that she was going to call him out for his parenting once more but if he was going to take parenting advice from anyone, it wouldn't be Smurf.

When he showed up after taking Lena to school, the house was eerily quiet considering J was at school as well and Smurf was the only one in the house. Baz entered through the backyard and took a glance around. His mind told him to drop off the clothes and get out as quick as he could, but she'd kill him for doing so. Not knowing where she was, Baz scanned the house and his last spot to look was in Lena's room.

She had been folding a couple things of clothes when she noticed him. "I thought you weren't going to show. How thoughtful to bring your daughter some clothes"

"Hey, you called and asked me to so I'm here" He moved into the room and set a bookbag on the dresser. Smurf moved away from the bed and over to him in order to check the contents. While digging, she found a little picture book.

"Lena wanted to keep it over here. She told me it helps her to not have nightmares" Flipping through a few pages, she recognized some of them that were taken at her house. They were mostly of Lena and her Uncles, but a few pictures popped up with everyone else as well.

"When was this?" She asked when she stopped on a picture that she had never seen before. Lena was in a sparkly purple dress and Jessica was holding her in a flowy orange beach gown. It was taken at Baz's house and it was recent from what she could tell.

Baz peered over to see it and instantly regretted putting that in her bag. He had taken it the night of the dance at her school because Jessica insisted that he take some of Lena. She was doing everything in her power to give her a sense of normal with Catherine being gone.

"There was a dance at Lena's school about a month ago. She asked if Jess could go with her"

"Hm…" Baz could tell that it bothered her even though she wasn't going to flat out say it. "I'm surprised she didn't ask me"

There wasn't anything else he wanted to say on the matter because he wasn't going to get into with Smurf. The problem this time was with Jessica, so he wanted to stay out of it. She threw the book onto the dresser before pulling out some of the clothes in order to put them in the closet. The silence between them spoke volumes because Baz didn't have much to say to her nor did he want to talk. He had a few things he had to work out, so he was more than eager to leave. Baz waited for a minute or two before going to walk back out the door.

"Baz…I know Lena is my Grandchild and as much as I love having her over here, I'm not her parent. You need to start stepping up to the plate" Shoving a hanger into the closet, she glanced over her shoulder.

He sighed before rubbing the back of his head. "I know, I'm working on it. Jessica's getting on me for it so if I'd rather not hear it from someone else"

"Like she knows anything about parenting" She said simply then turned back around. "Cath's disappearance is really starting to get to Lena, it's been gone for a couple months now. Isn't it a little suspicious that you haven't heard anything from her?"

"If you're trying to imply that Cath ran off without Lena, you're wrong. We both know she wouldn't have left her here. I've been doing everything I can to get her back"

"Oh, I'm sure you have" Smurf told him with a faint sarcastic tone in the message. "It seems like you're doing everything but that. You don't come around for days on end leaving Lean here with me, Pope picks her up and now Jessica is playing house"

"What is your problem today?" Baz asked her not understanding where all the hostility was coming from. The second he stepped into the home, he felt like he was being attacked at every angle. Everything she said had an angry tone to it. "I come in here and all of a sudden you want to start something"

As Smurf was bending down for a couple more clothes to place on hangers, she paused at his remark. That angered her because she wasn't starting something, she was simply telling the truth. Lena was her grandchild, not one of her own. Pope was the uncle and Jessica sure wasn't a mother. Things needed to change whether anyone liked it or not.

"You really think this is about me when I'm trying to tell you that your daughter would rather her own father take care of her than everyone else? I see Pope more than I see you and you know who I blame for that?" She said putting her full attention on him now.

"Oh my God, we're not doing this again" He said with his own irritation radiating in his voice.

"Yes, we are because you still don't get it. I took you in, I made you part of this family and yet you still find ways to get around the rules I have in place. Julia and Jessica are two things that I told you to stay away from and you did everything you could to get to them. You really think that she isn't the problem?"

"I came over here because you asked me to bring Lena some clothes, not to talk about Jessica or anything else. I get that you and I are not on the same page right now but I'm not going to keep doing this with you because it's getting ridiculous"

"You don't think it's ridiculous that you are sleeping with someone who I tried making your sister?"

Ever since Jessica came back into the picture, it seemed like every time Baz talked to Smurf she got brought up. It wasn't much of a surprise considering their history together but for him it was getting tiresome. Everyone knew that Smurf had issues with her daughters, but he couldn't figure out why she always blamed Jessica for everything that went wrong. Baz stared hard at her, trying to form another thing to say. Their plan clearly failed as they kept their relationship on the low for the month Jessica disappeared. Smurf always figured out a way to get into everyone's business.

"Look, Jessica has never been my sister and you know that. Whatever I have to say never matters so I'm not going to stand here and argue over something that I've gone through a hundred times. I've got things to do involving Cath so I'm not going to stand here and fight" Baz turned away from her hoping that she wasn't going to continue on. "By the way, Pope is taking Lena to church tonight, so you don't have to worry about it"

Backing out of the room, Baz quickly made his way down the hall without anything else to say. Smurf wasn't done talking so she moved away from the closet and stepped out of the room as well except she lingered in the doorway.

"You know, Catherine suddenly disappears, and you move on the second Jessica shows up. You don't think anyone is going to find that troubling? Especially your child?" She knew Baz heard her and she also knew that he paused in place wherever he was. Smurf pushed off the doorframe and started for the hallways towards the kitchen. Baz had been hanging by the patio door, staring straight ahead. "I mean, a detective even questioned her and yet you've been walking away perfectly fine"

"What are you trying to imply? That I did something to Catherine?" He asked not wanting to turn around to see her. He also didn't know how she found out about Jessica talking to detectives.

"I'm not implying anything, but it does make for an interesting story" Smurf told him knowing that she was getting her point across. "Cath was talking to police; you know how much she hated this family and she stole money from me"

"No one knows if she was talking to the cops, Lena doesn't even know what we do for a living" Baz couldn't argue with anything else in that sentence because it was true. Smurf did have missing money and Catherine never got along with Smurf. It also clicked that the detective who talked to Jessica must be the one that Cath knew. "I didn't do anything to her, I don't know where she is and no one else does"

Smurf nodded her head to what he said but she knew the truth. She wasn't going to throw Pope under the bus unless she had to in order to save herself. Baz ripped the door open and stormed out without saying a word to her. She knew that it irked him about Catherine's disappearance, but she did what she thought was best for the family. Even though she didn't know the whole truth either.

It had been a month since Deran, or Craig brought up the yacht job. It had been on a back burner as they did a few jobs here and there for money until it was time. The wedding date changed so they decided to wait as well considering it was going to be a lot of money. Deran had done enough research on the whole event, including the family and possibly how much money would be brought in. Craig suggested that he act as a waiter during the event as the two brothers were teaming up together for a job.

They held a meeting at his bar and waited for the arrival for everyone else. It was going to happen in a couple of days, and they wanted to go over a few things before the big day. J had skipped school in order to make the meeting and Pope showed up shortly after. When they did, Deran made sure to lock the front door just in case anyone decided to walk in despite the bar being closed.

"Where are the other two?" Pope asked noticing that he had missing family members. They all tucked away in a back corner booth.

"I'm pretty sure they aren't coming. Last time I brought up the idea, Baz didn't agree with anything I said, and Jessica said she wasn't going to risk it" Deran told before rubbing his forehead at the thought.

"Wait, you haven't talked to them about since that?" J now asked wondering how they were going to pull it off. It would have been three of them robbing the ship as Craig had to play as a decoy.

Craig looked towards his younger brother knowing that the answer was no. They both agreed that they weren't going to waste their time because neither of them would join in. Jessica never did jobs so and even though she knew how planning went, there was not anything for her to do. Deran wasn't going to give his sister a gun and expect her to take money. Baz on the other hand wouldn't do it because he hadn't planned it. He already expressed how risky it was, how stupid it was and that he didn't want to do it.

"We all know that Baz isn't going to do this job. You think he's going to let Craig and I lead a job that he didn't have any planning in? Jessica already said no" Deran told them.

"She's not going to do it because Baz isn't. We know that's her main reason" Craig chimed in feeling like that was the main reason she wasn't doing it.

Pope had sighed heavily as he leaned on the table to see the map that Deran had of the yacht. "So if Baz is out, who are we going to have speak Spanish? You said all of the guests are Hispanic and none of us speak it"

"Nicky told me that you guys took Spanish before" The middle Cody said turning his attention to J.

All of their eyes landed on J who glanced between everyone before speaking. "I took Spanish one Freshman year of high school. I'm not going to be able to translate anything they say. I know some basics but there's no way I can speak to any of them"

That response made Deran snap his head towards Craig because he thought it was figured out. Baz had been the only one in the family to speak Spanish and since he wasn't doing the job, they had no translator. He didn't know why he trusted Craig with Nicky's word but now it landed them in a new predicament.

"I'll find someone. There's a couple people I can trust with this and I'm sure they'd like the money"

"That's a great idea Deran, let's bring in someone we don't even know to pull a job with us" Pope said, staring intently at him.

The two of them started arguing with J and Craig sitting back without a word. Pope should have been arguing with Craig considering he had been the one holding the mistake but Deran was doing most of the work.

J decided to interject before things got too crazy. "Are you guys done yet?" He said loudly in order of them to hear him. They went back and forth for a couple of minutes until they stopped. "The money, that's another thing we have to figure out"

"What do you mean?' Craig asked him as they all turned to the kid. "We split it like usual and the guy that joins gets the same amount"

"You guys always give Jessica part of the job, right? And the money that whoever is getting was supposed to be Baz's cut. Are you guys giving them any of it even though they didn't do it?"

This was another piece of the puzzle that no one figured out. There had been a couple of instances where someone didn't do a job, yet they received money. Craig broke his arm and couldn't do the heavy lifting, Pope still got cuts despite him being in prison. Jessica only received money because they argued with Smurf that she and Julia should get it before they cut Julia off. The younger sister still got cuts, even though she had a drug addiction as well. All the Cody boys stayed quiet planning it out in their heads. Both Baz and Jessica would be furious even they didn't give them a cut but that's how things worked.

"No" Deran said simply thinking things over still. "Whoever I bring in gets Baz's cut, Smurf gets Jessica's"

"Wait, we're give Smurf?" Craig asked knowing that she was going to get one anyway, but Smurf had nothing to do with the job. Deran nodded towards him then looked to everyone if they agreed.

Deran wanted to get back to all of the planning of who was going to be where, how Craig was going to act and how they would distract the coastguard. Craig offered to throw Nicky into the mix, a part that Jessica could have played. Even though Pope and Deran didn't want to bring her in, they had no other choice but to do so. They wrapped up things in under a half hour with Pope being the first one gone as always.

J stepped out of The Drop and as he walked towards his truck, a car slowed down next to him. He didn't know who it was until he heard the voice.

"Pope told me you were here, I got a little job to do if you want to help" Baz asked him, appearing in a dark blue, old car that he stole specially for it.

"A job?' J questioned wondering what he was even talking about. "I was going to head back to Smurf's to go collect rent money"

"A little side job, you know some extra cash. I get if you don't want to do it, but I need some help. There's a storage unit full of money and a lot of it. I'm not bringing any of the guys in on it so if you want to do it, that's fine. Drop your car off at Smurf's, she left an hour ago"

Out of all of them, J and Baz never had any moments where they were truly by themselves, J didn't even think he liked him. He still had questions about his relationship with Julia that he never got answers to. A lot of times, J felt that he annoyed Baz and that was a reason he stayed away from him.

He shielded his eyes from the sun before looking at Baz. "What kind of job is this?"

"I already told you. Something small, it will probably only take a couple of hours. I just want to take all the money out of that unit and move it to another one. The safes are heavy and will take longer if I do it myself. I'll give you a huge amount, trust me when I say there is a lot in there"

In all honesty, J didn't want to do it because it sounded sketchy. It was completely out of the blue, mostly because it was coming from Baz on top of it. Debating on what to do, J finally agreed.

"I'll follow you to Smurf then that way we can go together. Lucy's already there with the tools we need so we'll be done soon. You and I are the only ones who know about this, got it?"

"Yeah…I won't tell the others"

Jessica hadn't seen her brothers in a while, so she thought she'd make a trip to see them. Deran's bar had been moderately slow during the days and picked up with customers at night. Most of the time, when everyone was done surfing or hanging out at the beach, so they decided to step into the picture. Craig was always found there as he crashed with him since he didn't want to stay at Smurf's anymore. The others popped up occasionally but not as often as his older brother.

"You want to hit the Beach later? We could go night surfing, see if Adrian wants to come or something" Craig told his younger brother while stepping out from the kitchen. He helped himself to a sandwich and a beer.

"Can you not do that? I don't need an inspector coming in here and seeing you walk around like you own the place" Deran told him while digging through a few papers.

"You're kidding right? There's like four people here"

"God, that's not the point Craig" The irritation was clearwing his voice. Despite the two of them being close, they bickered like nobody's business. They after all were sibling and very close. "I have a bar to run, I can't just ditch it to go surfing. Besides, sharks come out at night and I'm not about to risk my life for some waves"

As Craig opened his mouth, the door opened up with Jessica stepping inside. He grabbed one of the bar stools and eat down, stuffing his face with food. Jessica pulled her sunglasses off and looked around to see how dead it was.

"Tough crowd...Wasn't sure if you guys were here or not" She spoke while walking over to them. Jessica spotted a dark green plaid shirt, a white tank top underneath with matching green shorts. Her bracelets clicked together, her wavy hair bounced around and she looked between them. "What's with you two? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" They exchanged glances due to their conversation earlier in the day.

"I'm just stressed, and Craig isn't helping matters" Deran informed her that he wasn't sure he was doing things correctly. He had never had a real job before, and it was really starting to take its toll. Papers still needed signed, he didn't have anyone doing the books and pay. "What are doing around here? I haven't seen you in weeks"

"Two weeks to be exact" She replied hitting Craig in the arm sharply which made him nearly spit his beer out in reaction. He looked over with a dirty look, but Jessica was not amused. "You both threw me into the pool, and you think I'm going to forget that?"

"Hey, it was Baz's idea, Deran and I were just trying to have fun. You love the water, so you don't have to be so dramatic over it"

Since Craig though that she was pissed over it, Jessica's mouth grew into a smile which meant she was joking. She had a hard time keeping a serious face over something trivial and this was one of those cases. Jessica could hold a grudge if she wanted to, but she wasn't the type. Besides that, it was two weeks later so she had time to cool down since then. Hopping onto a stool next to him, they started to make uninteresting conversations with Deran speaking up a couple of times.

"Did you know our sister just got her first criminal record the other day?" Craig said aloud to Deran whose interest sparked immediately. Jessica hardly got into trouble, so it was rare if she did. "Some detective down at the station arrested her"

Jessica had slumped her shoulder forward, propped her elbow on the bar and rested her chin in her hand. "I was not arrested so I still have the best record in the family next to J. I was brought into questioning because the detective is looking into Catherine's disappearance…Do you guys know anything about what happened?"

Both boys exchanged glances but shook their heads. It seemed that Baz hadn't talked to anyone about what happened with her and they only knew what they heard. "He talks to Pope about it, I don't think I've really heard anything from him" Deran told her before digging for a new piece of paper"

"You don't think he had anything to do with it, right?" Craig questioned before taking another bite into his sandwich. Jessica watched him before looking away, feeling a little uneasy.

"Pope or Baz?" Deran asked back in which Craig responded that he meant both of them. "You really think Baz would kill his own girlfriend? But Pope…"

Deran's voice trailed off but both of them knew what he was going to say. Out of everyone in the family, they would point the finger at Pope if anyone ended up killed. He had always been unstable and looked dangerous. Even though they were close as well, he still stuck to himself and kept whatever secrets he could in his head.

"Oh, come on, he's out brother for God's sake. Pope may be a little out there, but you guys really think he would have murdered someone? He loves Lena, he wouldn't rip her away from her mother" Jessica chimed in taking another look between them. "Speaking of, I gave us all an alibi on the night she went missing. We all hung out here so if this guy comes around asking questions"

"Well what do you think happened to her?" The oldest Cody asked his sister. After her meeting at the police station, Jessica really started to wonder exactly what had happened to her. Baz hardly spoke to her about it, she was gone when it happened and no one else said a word about it.

"I think she's dead" Jessica told him before glancing at his food then over at Deran. It wasn't because of Baz's words, it made perfect sense. She knew how protective she was with Lena and there was no way that Catherine would leave her behind. "Maybe it was our Mother"

"You think Smurf did something to her?" Deran asked, surprised that she even said it. Craig also shifted uncomfortable in his seat and took another drink.

"She never wanted her to be in the family. Think about it, we all know Baz would never hurt her and Pope was in love with her, he wouldn't do anything either. I know it wasn't you two, it wasn't me so guess who that leaves. Smurf hated Cath"

"Smurf doesn't like you; you better watch your back if that's the case"

The comment made both blonde Cody's put all their attention on their older brother. Deran couldn't believe that Craig said something as such as no one had ever announced it before. Jessica knew the truth and didn't need anyone to tell her. The place had gone quiet as she kept her eyes on Craig who avoided her gaze.

"I'm going to the bathroom; I'm not feeling to well today" She said before removing herself from the stool.

She didn't acknowledge what Craig said and darted straight for the back. It was the truth; she hadn't felt that good all day and she didn't know why. Jessica's stomach felt uneasy and she assumed it was due to everything that was going on. When she stepped into the bathroom, Deran quickly shifted his focus on his older brother.

"Really? You had to tell her that?"

"What? I was only kidding around; Jessica can never take a joke"

"That's not the point dumbass" Deran told with the shake of his head, his blonde hair nearly falling out of the bun he had it tied in. "I'm going to work on some stuff in the office"

Gathering all his papers and folders, Deran didn't have another word with Craig who sat at the bar by himself. Jessica hadn't returned and he doubted she would even want to talk to him. It had been a joke, but she wasn't going to take it as one. He scarfed down the rest of his sandwich before heading out himself.


End file.
